Kindred Sisters
by itsybitsyshelley
Summary: Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will they accept help in return? All four sisters.
1. Deja Prue All Over Again

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: Hi, this is the story Ive had in my head since I was halfway through Problem Paige. Anyway,it flicks between the time periods of end of Season1 and Season 4 (During the time Paige was suspicious of Cole) and which I will refer to as the **present.**It will all make sense,I promise...As alwaysfeedback is much appreciated :) and enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 1: Deja Prue All Over Again**

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_Year 1999_

THE WHOLE SKY cast a veil of grey over the green haven, a rare place of tranquillity in the sprawling metropolis that was San Francisco. The heavy air seemed to respect a heart of sadness; it unknowingly provided her with comfort, the outer stillness tempering the whirling that was inside. Clouds hung low, coating everything in a fine mist, everything except for the solitary figure taking refuge on the wooden bench. Crouched on one end, the small figure wrapped her arms protectively around her knees hugging them tightly, a careless onlooker would do a double-take so small and child-like was the posture. It was pure frailty for all to see.

Raven hair fell right across her face. It was still holding onto dampness as it hung in loose waves, revelling in the chance to rebel against its usual poker straightness. Although the rain had stopped hours ago, the drops of water that had spattered and run down her face had been replaced by salty ones that leaked freely from her eyes, running everywhere. Dripping off of the end of her nose, they coated her hands from when she had attempted to stem the flow, she could taste them on her lip, feel them on her chin and watched them soak into her clothes as they continued to fall.

Prue Halliwell had finally let herself cry.

The grieving little girl had finally broken through the armour of the grown woman who to all around her so strong and so brave. She was finding out the hard way that this is what happened every time you loved someone, that you would eventually lose them.

Her whole life was testament to the inevitability of this statement.

The crisp air slapped her face sharply. She wasn't sure if it was that making her shiver or the replaying of the memory that just wouldn't go away. She had kneeled over his still, lifeless body, whilst the tornado of raging emotion was numbed by sheer reality of the fact that Andy was dead. She had savoured the last touch of his gentle lips on hers as much as her mind played the moment over again. The pretty white rose that she had placed on top of the hard polished coffin was both too little and too much. She knew that the single bloom could never convey the depth of her love for him, but when the delicate flower was swallowed by the ground and suffocated in dark brown earth, it was too much to bear that this tangible representation of their love would be buried along with him. She wondered where the hell was all her love supposed to go. For now, it remained within as a hurt, a constant pain in her stomach radiating through each of her limbs, the fact that it had no escape left a terrible aching behind.

Piper had been at her side every moment since. Hundreds of cups of sugary sweet tea sat cold and untouched on every flat surface of the Manor. Although she had sat on the sofa, on the love seat, at the dining table, in the conservatory no matter how much she sat still in thought, or restlessly moved, everything had still been the same. Still and quiet she couldn't bring herself to talk about it even when faced with two pairs of worried brown eyes that stared at her in concern. She sought solace in the quiet dimness of the attic; surely the Book of Shadows had a solution or some way to bring him back? Well, she would have done had she not collapsed over the magical book with exhaustion long-lost sleep taking over her body. It was only when she was woken by Piper, to find the day gone dark, had she allowed herself to give up, only in such a sleepy state did stubbornness seem to lower its guard. It was lowered so much that she didn't protest when Piper and Phoebe crawled into bed at each side of her, whispering in her ear, clutching her hands and stroking her hair.

"It's okay to cry Prue" Phoebe's incessant sympathy was driving her crazy. She knew that it was only because her baby sister cared, but what use were words? What use was comfort? It made no difference. They couldn't bring him back, nothing could.

Prue had remained tearless. She had to, she was the strong one. She couldn't fall apart it would leave them all vulnerable. She'd made that promise a long time ago...

---

The bundle of blankets whimpered softly and as Prue and Piper let go of Grams and crept up towards their mother who rocked softly in the wooden chair.

"Girls, this is Phoebe, your baby sister." Patty beamed, and she radiated happiness even though her dark hair was still sweat-soaked and her pale face worn. Prue stood on hertip-toes, peeking through a dark fringe at the fresh pink face that poked out from its wrapping, a shot of chocolate coloured hair wispily covering the smooth baby head. The tiny child opened her baby-grey eyes widely, blinking up and letting out a gurgle.

Piper toddled up to her big sister's side and sighed in confusion, "Me is da baba-sista shtill?" Patty chuckled softly, shifting her newborn slightly, to affectionately pull on her now middle daughter's soft brown pigtail.

"No, baby, you're a big sister now" Patty said seriously, "Remember Piper? Just like Prue…"

"Like Pwue" And three-year-old Piper seemed satisfied with this answer and her new responsibility, "Hold, Mommy?" She asked stretching out chubby toddler arms expectantly in front of her.

Once little Piper had climbed onto a chair, her mother placed the baby Phoebe carefully in her lap making sure she clutched her newest daughter in the proper way. Prue looked on silently, before Patty interrupted her. She patted her knee and allowed Prue to sit on her lap, the raven haired five-year-old snuggled into the warmth of her mother who placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"My darling Prudence" Patty whispered, "You're a big sister again, now, my eldest baby. Do you know that being the eldest is a very important job?"

Prue nodded with all her five-year-old might.

"Well, then you know that big sisters help their little sisters, they look out for them, they cuddle them and help to keep them safe and because of that, big sisters are very, very special. Prue sweetheart, you think you can be a good big sister to Piper and Phoebe?"

Prue looked at her two baby sisters huddled together. Piper's pigtails dangled over her lap as she placed a sweet kiss on baby Phoebe's forehead.

"I Promise Mommy"

It was a promise that she had kept to this day and it was one she was terrified of being unable to keep.

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Her normally clear blue eyes were clouded with emotions, each one trying to fight for prominence. She wrestled with rage that took on a life of it's own inside her; surrendered to numbness when it froze her body to stony stillness, recoiled as guilt poured into the gaping void Andy had left behind; she quivered with fear as she imagined losing anyone else, Piper and Phoebe, her family, she couldn't let that happen.

Prue would fight the whole world and its army in a bid to keep anyone she loved safe but she hadfailed. Failed someone that she loved and it repulsed her it was eating away at her very core absorbing all of her bravado, strength and gusto. What was the point in being powerful if you couldn't save those that you loved the most.

Magic got her into this mess, taking over her normal life and ruining it in the process.

She didn't want to do it anymore.

Screw this Charmed life, her magical destiny was over, it had been over ever since Andy's last breath had floated from warm breath into cold air. What was the use in having to power to protect the innocents when she couldn't protect anyone from the greatest demon of all: death, it was still out there claiming people. And she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

She hated to be helpless.

Lost in her torturous thought, Prue was oblivious to the figure that appeared out of the air at her side.

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_Present_

"I'm sorry I don't trust him"

As soon as the confession left her lips Paige felt every last one of the daggers that sprang from Phoebe's withering glare as painfully as if real knives were piercing her skin. The look of contempt in her dark eyes gave way as a flush of hurt crept into her big sister's face causing a jolt of pain to wash through the youngest Charmed One.

"So am I" Phoebe uttered out into the air, before she turned on her heel, swinging her dark locks over her shoulder and strode out of without looking back.

"Why can't you be happy for her Paige?" Piper muttered quietly, throwing an unsympathetic glare at her little sister and she too crossed the club following the path that Phoebe had cut through the crowded club seconds earlier.

Even though Paige was surrounded by people, she had never felt so alone. She'd found it hard to get used to being a sister but now, Piper and Phoebe were her family, her friends, her shoulders to cry on, her clowns to laugh at and the critics that kept Paige's inner child in check. _Of course,_ she thought to herself, _I was going to screw it up at some point. _She had just had to let her suspicions of Cole get the better of her. The blunt honesty that caused all her problems had slipped over her lips again. It was only because she cared about Phoebe, but the hurt that had crossed her sister's face was real and the fact that she was the cause made guilt crawl all over her skin.

What was she supposed to do now?

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PIPER HUMMED ALONG to the radio, dancing between the stove where her breakfast pancakes were browning to perfection. As the music got more upbeat she twirled around to the sideboard flicking on the coffee pot getting through her kitchen chores with remarkable style. Phoebe emerged in the doorway and stood silently, smiling at the sight of her big sister getting her groove on in the kitchen.

"Wow, 7am and you're already busting a move" Phoebe grinned. "Someone's a little cheerful this morning…"

"Well I've got good reason"

"Whoa, say no more, I think I got it" Phoebe's eyebrows quirked as she shot a devilish look at her older sister.

"Get your mind out of that gutter Pheebs" Piper rolled her eyes but failed to disguise a pink blush which crept on her cheeks. Phoebe giggled.

"Good for you, sister and" She pulled a face "…Leo, I guess." She sighed happily. It was a well known fact that Halliwell women went through the mill when it came to love and finally they were getting some happiness between them. Phoebe knew that Leo made Piper so, so happy. It was even better that Phoebe has had a fair share of her own happiness recently, with the man whohad invaded her thoughtfrom the very firstsecond she met him. Cole. She was going to live the fairytale, and nothing was going to get in the way.

"Morning Paige" Piper said without hostility but in a cheerless tone which hid nothing of her feelings as her youngest sister crept into the kitchen. Paige let out the breath she'd been holding when Piper smiled up at her, albeit weakly she headed to her place at the table before the scraping of Phoebe's chair on the floor caught her attention.

"I'm not hungry" Phoebe muttered flatly, pushing forcefully away from the table and standing up avoiding Paige's eye.

"Pheebs, I…" Paige began.

"Phoebe" Piper started, anxious to diffuse this argument before it did any real damage.

"NO!" Phoebe yelled, her dark eyes were flashing dangerously, as she lowered her voice to a whisper that was much more venomous than her raised voice, and "If she can't trust Cole, then I don't think she can't trust me…" As her big sister blinked her eyelids erased all her anger, leaving an empty coating of unshed tears behind that transparently revealed fresh pain. Phoebe's body succumbed to it. Her arms fell heavily by her sides and she slowly walked away and she didn't have to storm, the ache Paige knew she had caused grew more acute with every step that she saw Phoebe take. Through the silence, Piper flashed a guilty look at her younger sister before hurrying after Phoebe.

"…I'm sorry" Paige's apology had faltered. She pulled her arms closely around her as she swallowed hard against the emotion that swelled into her throat, tightening its hold on her breath so it escaped in a whimper. Not since she had lost her parents had she felt so alone. Paige had the kind of independent streak that almost twenty-five years as an only child would instil in anyone, but once she had found her family: her sisters, Piper and Phoebe and despite the odd miscast spell and botched potion a had found a love, a home and a bond that she never was missing.

Now she had screwed it up. Phoebe would hate her forever…and probably Piper too; she could feel a big hole growing inside her swallowing up all her organs. Why couldn't she do anything right? Why didn't Phoebe realise that Paige just wanted to protect her? Paige would do anything for her sisters, just as they would have done anything for her…she shuddered at her past tense. At times like this she often thought of Prue, the sister she had never met, fate and his cruel hand had seen to that…but as she had heard, the eldest Halliwell had been the strongest and the greatest, _she would be able to fix this_ Paige thought of the famous raven hair and clear blue eyes that she had only seen in flat pictures, her imagination and her dreams. As much as Piper and Phoebe missed their oldest sister, little did they know it was as much as their baby sister had longed to meet her.

_Her sisters_. The most important thing in her whole world to her. Everything faded and one thought was left in her mind.

She had to fix this.

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THE ATTICWAS only lit by a single candle. She knew that after today they wouldn't bother to find her, but all the same, she couldn't risk being disturbed. Paige found that the dim light fitted her mood and the eerie shadows, somehow were good company, well, at least she didn't feel so alone.

Paige stood before the famous book, with her spell finished it had taken long enough; finding that the concentration had given her fuzzy vision. She lit three more candles around herself; she wasdetermined to make it right.

She sucked in a deep breath and pushed her dark hair of her face. _Here goes. _Paige drew her blood and let it drip onto the circle she had drawn on the floor.

"My bloodlike yours... Your bloodlike mine... Take me back to the moment in time, where I can heal my sisterly crime...Ancient powers heed my call; send me there to fix it all"

And it was working… her insides swirled, and there was whirling and dizziness. Then the cold, hard wet hit all her limbs as she landed in a heap on the ground.

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If you got this far, hope you liked...Please review, its the only way I know if you want it to carry on...or to stop hehe :) 


	2. Turning a Paige Back to the Past

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: Thank you for the kind comments on the last chapter…and I hope you enjoy this one too!_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 2: Turning a Paige back to the Past.**

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_Present_

AS MUCH AS Piper disagreed with her youngest sister's opinion of her new brother-in-law and however mad she might have been originally, she wanted to let her little sister know that she was here for her. After all, it was her job. She wanted to talk to Paige, listen to her reservations, maybe talk her around and she prayed and hoped that she'd be able to prevent the wedge that threatened to drive itself right through her family. She wanted a happy family, not only for all of their sanities sake but because of all the magical craziness that invaded their lives on a regular basis. Piper knew that being divided would almost certainly cause a fall. She wasn't about to let that happen if she could help it. Not again.

Her mind whirling with all of this, Piper trotted through the hallway peeking into every room hoping to spot the head of wild dark hair that would reveal her baby sister.

"Paige?" Piper called entering the kitchen. The sound of the radio had floated down the hall and Piper had expected to find her baby sister pottering around in the kitchen but no. It was empty except for Paige's purse and car keys which were scattered on the countertop amongst reams of screwed up paper and a notebook. Piper stopped and smiled for a moment at her sister's incurable untidiness, it drove her crazy, but Piper understood that it was just another one of her little sister's quirks, and if she thought about it, each Halliwell had their very own: Phoebe was to all who met her intelligent woman but often, her scatty dizziness was astounding. Piper knew her own neurotic need for order, tidiness and logic was a little crazy, and she often missed Prue's annoying habits, her pig-headed stubborn ways and her fierce obsessive drive. Piper even missed the arguments that she used to have with her older sister, along with the long list of everything else about her. Oh how she wished that her big sister was here, right now, she'd probably be doing a better job.

Piper didn't think she'd ever be good enough to fill her big sister's shoes and she didn't want to. She'd much rather see her big sister walk through the front door like a whirlwind. She was often afraid to admit that on the bad days she still expected her big sister to come home in the early hours of the morning after doing a night-shoot, or using the dark room at the office. On the bad days Piper still waited up for her, counting the hours only to have her hopes dashed when the light of the morning poured through the windows, shunting her back to the painful reality she denied.

Piper took a deep shuddering breath and shook off the ache that began to grow painfully in her chest. Paige didn't seem to be around anywhere and her brow folded in confusion.

"Phoebe!" No answer. "Phoebe!" Nothing. "Phoebe! Get your butt down here right now!"

"What?" Phoebe cried bursting into the kitchen, with a spring in her toes and her lithe limbs in a combative stance that made it obvious that she was in demon-fighting mode. Her face became a mask of confusion upon seeing Piper alone in the kitchen, she sighed dramatically "God Piper, with all that hollering I thought there was a demon or something…" She moaned rolling her eyes and letting out a dramatic huff.

"Pheebs, I know you're upset but can you give up the attitude already" Piper had had enough of this sister fighting and even though she was now the eldest sister, her inner peacemaker was hard to resist now she could combine it with the authority of being the big sister.

"But Piper, she…" Phoebe argued.

"Look, I'm not condoning or agreeing with what Paige said, but have you stopped to think why she might have said it?" Piper looked at Phoebe carefully, watching the cogs turning in her head. She slapped her thighs in frustration as her little sister apparently drew a blank as she stubbornly shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, here's a hit-you-over-the-head hint - It's because she loves you, you ninny…"

"Oh…" She sighed, her brown eyes brightening as if a dawn of realisation was breaking across her face.

"…she just doesn't want you to get hurt, she's your sister Miss Phoebe and as a spokesperson for that particular species. I'd say we all feel that way too and I know you know that, Pheebs."

Phoebe chewed her lip anxiously and her whole body cringed at the overreaction she knew that she was guilty of. She had been hurt when her baby sister had revealed her distrust for Cole. It had knocked her off of the happily-ever-after pedestal she had been so high upon ever since her wedding day (and it _had_ been the best day of her life, despite the magical chaos). Paige's doubts about her new husband felt like it had shattered her joy, after all it was the opinion of her family that mattered the most in the world to her, but Phoebe hadn't realised that Paige's frank admission wasn't out of malicious intention or green-eyed envy, it had been created from the love and concern that they shared as sisters. She understood now, and the clearness of it erased her grudge dissolving all the anger with it as it drained away but it left the nasty sting of regret behind.

"Oh, Piper, I… " She gasped through her thoughts, "Where is she?"

A small smile tugged at Piper's cheeks, as she inwardly congratulated her small victory, but then her expression grew serious, "I don't know Pheebs, that was what I was going to ask you"

"You think I know? What? You think I was gonna talk to her after she said _that!" _Piper gave her ranting sister a dark look until she said sweetly "Sorry Piper, I haven't seen her."

"Paige" Piper looked up at the ceiling; "Paige" She waited a beat for the orbs to appear, when they didn't she threw a worried glare at Phoebe.

"Well her keys are here" Phoebe started, moving towards the pile of her little sister's stuff, she picked up the quirky red bag from the table. She ran her fingers affectionately across the intricate beading and battered material, aware of how much Paige adored it "and here's her purse…Oh oh…Piper!" Her face fell as her eye caught the loopy scrawl on the notepad. She waved frantically at her sister beckoning her over to the table and thrusting the paper in her face.

"Aw, crap" Piper agreed after just a glance, looking back at Phoebe her eyes widening in her trademark panicked expression "Attic, now!"

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_Year 1999_

"Woah, some trip" She muttered, her surroundings were still spinning as she tried to shrug of the dizziness caused by her trip. Paige shivered as the chilly air whipped around her body. The cold snapped her to her senses as she began to take in the green landscape. She steadied herself by clutching onto the arm of the wooden bench she had arrived beside.

This was not P3. This was not the night that she wished a cat would have gotten her tongue and clawed the whole thing right out to prevent her from making the stupidest mistake of her life and her sisters from hating her. This wasn't where her spell was supposed to bring her, at all. Paige the screw up was at it again, not only had she ruined everything between her and her sisters she couldn't even fix it right.

This was not good.

She sucked in a breath and tried to orb, no luck. Well, at least she knew her spell had worked and that she was at least back in time. It wasn't really much consolation, she didn't know where or when she had arrived. Through the cloud and the fog in her head that had made her woozy. She could make out the familiar skyline, of buildings that were tall enough to invade the sky, the famous red bridge was visible through them it was a relief to know that at least she was still in San Francisco.

"This is just great" She muttered inwardly "well, at least I know Piper and Phoebe won't miss me"

Her dark thoughts were interrupted as she cast her eye desperately around her. Her brow furrowed in surprise as her eye caught the wooden bench. Before, she hadn't noticed the tiny figure curled up at the far end. Her face was buried in her knees that were being clutched tightly to her chest. Black hair flailed wildly around her in the slight breeze making it look like she was tiny and helpless under the attack of the fierce wind. Paige was no Empath but there was something so forlorn about the figure that Paige could almost feel the pain radiating from her. It was so strong it felt like they were connected in some way. _An Innocent?_ Paige mused silently and instantly, her instincts as a Charmed One and a social worker kicked in, pulling her towards the mystery figure. Silently she drew closer creeping slowly across the damp grass.

"Mind if I…" Paige began but as the other figure looked up at her, her brain went into meltdown taking her ability to speak with it.

Paige's voice echoed through the silence and as the figure lifted her head raven hair fell from either side opening curtains to her face.It was ghostly pale, sticky and streaked by red. Some of the black locks had stuck to the wet trails drying against her face. Despite this, her raw beauty made Paige catch her breath. She brought her blue eyes level with the woman who had spoken to her and who was frozen to the spot where she stood.

Those eyes: the ones that stared out of every other photo-frame in the Manor.

The youngest Charmed One felt her stomach twist into a knot, her throat suffered a drought and the rush of feeling turned her limbs to jelly.

She was looking into the eyes of her eldest sister.

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_Present_

A SHAFT OF LIGHT poured into the darkened attic as Piper and Phoebe burst through the door. Both sisters swapped an anxious look as they looked at the spent candles scattered in a circle on the wooden floorboards. Piper blew out one that continued to burn faintly as her younger sister swept over to the bookstand to the closed Book of Shadows. She opened it so fiercely that she didn't notice the crumpled notepaper that fluttered quietly to the floor.

"Oh Piper…" Phoebe cried,

Piper sighed inwardly, although she could panic at some kind of competitive level, she wasn't quite there yet. She just hoped her headstrong little sister hadn't done anything stupid, hoping that Paige was only letting off a little steam but Piper couldn't quell her worry persisted at the pit of her stomach like an instinct…she hoped wouldn't be right. Phoebe wasn't doing so well, her big brown eyes were wide. Piper, who by fluent knowledge of Phoebe saw that it was worry darkening her sisters features, and she pushed her own fear to her toes and tried to comfort her little sister.

"It's okay sweetie, we'll just call her" Piper soothed. "Paige?" She called, "Paige?... PAIGE!"

"Okay, Missy Paige you're hgonna regret making me full name you…" Phoebe winced as her sisters rant whipped into full force, "Paige Matthews, if you can hear me you orb your half-whitelighter ass back here, right now."

"Wow, Piper, you know you're scarier than some of the demons we've faced?" Phoebe grinned lightening the mood considerably until it faded into silence, when their little sister didn't appear. Finally a sudden burst of blue and white lights filled the attic grabbing the attention of the two sisters as they waited for the youngest one to materialize.

"About ti-" Piper growled lowly. Herhands wereset firmly on her hips until the lights faded away and her face crumpled in confusion.

"Leo?" Phoebe questioned. As her brother-in law appeared from the orbs.

"What's the matter?" Piper finally managed to spit out rather shortly, but she caught herself and crept up to her husband placing a sweet kiss on his lips. "Hi honey" She greeted softly. "Is everything alright?"

The dopey smile that crept onto Leo's cheeks disappeared as his face fell. "No, not really…when the whole of the Whitelighter world and I just heard you calling, well, yelling for Paige, I tried to sense her and…" He paused looking over Phoebe and Piper with his penetrating green eyes.

"What Leo?" Piper asked impatiently.

Leo looked up at the two pairs of brown eyes that waited desperately for his answer "I can't" and watches uneasily as waves of fear anxiety and emotion crash over his wife and sister-in-law leaving a deafening silence in its wake.

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_TBC... If you enjoyed it please review, I love to hear what you think and thanks for reading :)_


	3. Time: For a revelation or two

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: Woah! looong absence and I am so sorry. I've gotta blame the usual inexcusable mix of hectic life and writers block. Thank you so much for your positive responses and I am hugely grateful for each and every one :) Not sure about this chapter, but it has to be here for the rest to make sense. I would appreciate your thoughts if you have any. Hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 3: Time: For a revelation…or two.**

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_Year 1999._

A SMALL VOICE had broken through her whirling thoughts slamming her back into reality, her chest swelled with pain. She tightened her arms around herself, recoiling in her exposure. Her tears had stripped at her skin leaving it raw; leaving her raw. She shook the hair that covered her face away fully intending to unleash her unreasonable fury upon whoever had dared stumble upon her vulnerability. Anger, grief and burning self-loathing was the disgusting concoction that she choked on as she began to raise her hackles.

That was until she finally managed to peek beyond her lank tendrils.

Prue drew in a breath, finally seeing the woman who had spoken to her standing frozen and wide-eyed. Only her dark almost-black mane moved, blown wildly behind her by the still forceful breeze. Even though her eyes were still blurry with tears the figure in front of her seemed for a moment like an apparition, her shining skin glowing with a whiteness she had only ever seen on polished porcelain. Insecurity shimmered on the surface of the woman's dark eyes, but they were cavernous and Prue could see that the woman held a fresh raw pain in those bottomless pools. At the moment, pain was the one thing that Prue understood only too well.

Instinctively she offered a silent hand to the other woman, who staring at it in surprise, wordlessly took it and sat beside her.

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_

_Present_

PHOEBE SAT, sprawled helplessly on the floor watching her big sister pace across the attic, with a sinking feeling settling in her stomach. If Piper panicked, at least it could be solved and would be okay eventually, but Phoebe knew that if her older sister paced silently it was a bad, bad sign. Finally, the younger Halliwell could bear the silence no longer and broke into it desperately.

"Piper, what are we going to do?" Phoebe knew that it was a useless question, and so didn't even flinch at the glare she received in return.

Piper took in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. Thinking that whoever said that it calmed you down in a crisis were more than a little white liar. She sighed. Both Piper and Phoebe's thumbs throbbed painfully having been pricked for several attempts for the spell to call a lost witch. They had scryed over the map of San Francisco and the two sisters had even dug out the dusty old globe from a dark corner of the attic in their far-fetched hope of finding their baby sister somewhere, or anywhere.

Another attempt failed. The crystal thumped loudly on the wooden floor as the victim of Piper's frustration. Forced to admit defeat she finally answered her little sister's question "I don't know" she said trying to avoid the big brown eyes desperate for the reassurance she couldn't give.

"But Piper, if we can't scry for her, if Leo can't sense her, she-she could be stuck down in the underworld, or-or worse" Phoebe's babbling faded to silence and she sat silently, bringing her knees to her chest. Piper swallowed hard. There was little they could do until Leo came back from up there. So Piper set to work doing the only thing she could; she cleaned frantically: picking up the crystals, folding up the map, pushing the globe back into the corner and picking up the candles. A scrap of paper caught her attention and she gasped as she read the spell.

"Pheebs" Piper shouted shaking her sister out of her daze. "Look, oh…Phoebe I think that she's okay…but…"

Phoebe read the spell, a look of concern crossing her face. "…time travel is never good…"

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_Past 1999_

Paige couldn't believe it.

She cradled the hand of her big sister in her own, absorbed in watching her, comparing their traits. Paige thought she was beautiful and hoped that she comforted Prue as just as much as she was comforting her. Her heart wrenched with both of their pains but Paige's was buoyed by the sisterly connection, she had always felt it, almost longingly even though she had never met her eldest sister. Now, seeing her sister here and holding her, their connection was as strong as the one she shared with Phoebe and Piper.

Paige was puzzled. This wasn't the brave, bold, all-powerful witch or the perfect older sister that she had heard many tales about. This woman was holding on to her as if she was a lifebelt rescuing her from the swirling hurt, small droplets pooled in the corner of her blue eyes but she stubbornly brushed them away.

"I'm sorry" The raven haired witch muttered shamefully, her wet cheeks tinting with embarrassment.

"No, It's okay" I mean, "Are you okay?" She questioned tentatively not knowing how the older witch would react.

Prue paused heavily, drawing her arms around herself protectively. She wasn't used to opening up about her feelings. It was a lonely place being an eldest sister, especially being as protective as she. However her brown eyes holding her with a look of concern and openness, she felt a connection to this woman. Had Prue not been drowning in grief she would have noticed the niggling familiarity of the young woman that settled in her stomach.

"I thought I was…" She began, chuckling bitterly at her last statement "But I don't know anymore" In her pain she pulled her own gaze away from the curious brown eyes before dropping her voice to a whisper. "He's, he's gone, Andy is gone forever and I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to do without him."

It seemed that saying it out loud had finally hammered home this clear realisation. Her resolve completely folded, the armour that had been wearing extremely thin had just shattered into a thousand pieces. She didn't know what to do without him, she had known him for her whole life, the young man that had been her high-school sweetheart and the man that had become the love of her life. He had been a part of her past and her present. Now, her hopes of them having a future together…all of the stuff she never admitted to dreaming about, marriage and children. Whoa, turning into Piper more than a little...anyway now she knew it would never be and to know that hurt so much. She soaked up the comfort from this strange but familiar woman; it was a comfort that dulled the pain.

---

PAIGE CRADLED THE older witch in her arms stroking the raven hair, an odd mixture of longing and pleasure at what she had missed with her big sister, along with the happiness that she had finally gotten to meet her. Of course this was shot through with the irony that the sister that Paige felt closest to at the moment was the one who wasn't around in her time. As all of this swirled within her, she felt a small drip flow down her pale cheek, but she ignored her pain to rub circles on her sister's back which heaved heavily with her sobs.

"Shh…" Paige soothed, she didn't know what else to say, "It's okay…it's okay Prue"

As soon as the small slip passed her lips, Paige gasped and at the same time Prue's head shot up and recoiled from the hug, her blue eyes caged their vulnerability as suspicion, confusion and a smattering of fear seeped into her steely gaze.

"What did you say?" Prue spat, jumping up defensively to stand over the young woman.

_Aw crap, what did I just do. This is why Piper warns against time travel spells. _Paige finds herself trembling as her sister towered over her with fire in her eyes. Trembles turned to a prickle on her spine accompanied by a floppy stomach that were usually the symptoms of her evil-sensing powers. She looks frantically around, but shimmers appeared out of the air too quickly and from behind Prue, the facially challenged demon sent a glowing fireball is sailing towards them.

"Erm…Oh Goddess, a demon, look out!" Paige flung herself to the ground taking her older sister with her.

Prue landed but sprang into action seeing the demon directing all of her anger and hurt into a powerful telekinetic blast that sent the orange balls of flame right back at the ugly demon that sent them. He screamed in agony, his face srewing up incontortion before he burst into more orange flames: completely vanquished.

"Whoa" Paige muttered silently, awed at the power of her oldest sister. She was soon shaken out of it as the steely glare rounded on her again.

"YOU!" The older witch glared. Her muscles tensed; she no longer seemed vulnerable and her face gained a tough expression, Paige saw that her wall of armour had reappeared. She was set in a fighting stance, so like Phoebe it reminded Paige sadly of her other big sister. "How did you know…me? How do you know about demons?" Prue continued, confusion creasing in her forehead. Paige looked at her oldest sister, an ache creeping up from her toes and her throat. She knew that she couldn't, that she shouldn't even. After all, when Piper and Phoebe first began teaching her about the craft, they warned against time travel and Piper chirped endlessly about 'future consequences'. But right here and now, Paige longed to call Prue her big sister, to know her and love her as one. To get the chance she had been deprived of, it was agony, her oldest sister so close but so far away.

"I can't tell you…" Paige muttered quietly, wincing under Prue's glare as well as her own boiling emotions. As the most stubborn of the four of the Halliwell sisters this did nothing to placate Prue. Too blinded by this to see the younger woman's plea in her eyes or her pain, she didn't relent. Her emotions were already on the surface, she had opened up to this woman with no idea who she was, she thought she had seen goodness in her eyes, had felt it to. The revelations had sent her reeling, almost like a betrayal and of course the obvious dangers, of evil or even worse, of exposure. Prue had to know, for all of their sakes.

"Who are you!" She persisted with her voice raised.

"Please" Paige pleaded, "please don't, I really can't say even if I wanted to…" all of a sudden the weight of this past and her present weighed on her shoulders.

Prue stood arms folded, still looking over the younger woman. "What am I supposed to do? Magic has ruined enough for me and my sisters, for Andy. You could be evil, you could even expose us. I thought I could trust you…"

"You can" She said. Her only reply was a disbelieving look.

Paige had to look away, it was unbearable. All the accusations Prue suggested stung, as did all of the hurt that her oldest sister had gone through, and, oh god, what was yet to come Those blue, penetrating eyes slowly tugged the truth out of her, painfully, like wrenching off a scab. She was giving in.

"I'm your sister too" She whimpered in defeat.

Prue's thoughts and emotions collided into one big crash, the how and the whys faded from her rational thought . As she looked over the younger woman it all fell into place: her own dark hair flowed down the girls shoulders; Phoebe's big brown eyes and her sweet baby-sister pout; Piper's nose and strong brow all sat in her pretty face. She was them and they were her. There was no mistaking that this girl was a Halliwell. Prue had felt it even before she knew.

It was true.

She had another sister.

_

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_

_TBC…Thank you for reading, please review. : - )_


	4. Conversations with Dead Sisters

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: I know, I know...Longtime, no write...but itshere. Finally. Not a high action story...yet! Just want to explore the possible Paige/Prue moments we were so cruelly deprived of aswell as whole sisterly dynamic coolness :)_

_Thanks for the feedback so far,I love to hear what you think._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 4: Conversations with Dead Sisters.**

* * *

_Year 1999_

It seemed like hours had passed in silence, before Paige managed to look up at her oldest sister. Her stomachturned completley overas she drew her gaze level with those memorable eyes.

"It's okay…It's okay"

The younger Halliwell found herself swept up into a hug, a hug she a waited a lifetime for. Her head buried into her older sister's shoulder she fought back the tears cresting the waves of emotion that were rolling through her. Prue gently lifted her face so she could look at her. Affectionately, she swept the dark hair away from her face, the soft touch lingering on her pale cheek. Both women were rendered speechless from the weight of feeling and could only sigh heavily.

The older woman found her words first, "Oh, wow, I" She began clumsily, but looking at her sister again cupping her cheeks she realised, "I can't believe I didn't see it, you're a Halliwell…"

Looking into the blue eyes that now sparkled with warmth, Paige felt the smile spread across her cheeks.

"What's your name?" Prue said tentatively, a pang of sadness shooting through her gut at the fact she hadn't a clue.

"Paige"

The air that had crackled relaxed as Prue couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped, "Well that's typical…" and Paige grinned back easily, amazed at the sisterly rapport they already shared "I guess if there was any doubt, the P-name seals your fate as a sister Halliwell, and wait…" Prue breathed in deeply as her eyes widened, "…a witch"

"Sort of" Paige muttered, wondering what she should, or shouldn't tell. She figured by being here, she had pretty much trampled right all over the 'future consequences rule. Plus, Prue was smiling at her with questioning expression glazed across her pretty features, and Paige wanted to tell her, to talk to Prue while she had the chance, to have the lifetime of conversations they had been denied and to talk to the one sister that didn't hate her…yet. Paige jumped as Prue squeezed her hand gently, realising her thoughts had passed an uncomfortable amount of time, She shook them away taking a deep breath.

"You're not a witch?" Prue probed, in slight panic having jumped to her own conclusion in the long silence.

"Yes, of course…but " Paige muttered, feeling so nervous her arms and legs trembled. Prue tilted her head encouragingly. "I'm half-whitelighter too"

"How, wait?" She blinked and frown creased above her eyes "You mean…Oh wow…Sam?" Prue gasped, her vague memories of the man were as her mother's friend of course her childhood innocence that had concealed the truth. Paige nodded glad that Prue had made the connection giving her one less thing to confess. "Then how…"

"Well, the short version, Whitelighter and witch relationships, not so acceptable…wait, scratch that, kind of forbidden. I guess I had to be a secret…" Paige sighed softly "Who knows what the elders would have done. "Anyway, I grew up with good parents, until…well, I know my real family now."

Prue heaved in a big breath, her baby sister had been through a lot. She recognised the jolt that passed through her sister's eyes as she talked of her parents, it was loss. "I'm sorry"

"What for?"

"That we couldn't be there for you, that we didn't grow up together…that I don't know you, and that you lost your parents…I guess we've got a lot in common"

Paige mulled this over for a moment: her sisters had been through exactly the same thing "I guess we have"

* * *

_Present_

The repeated flicking of pages was driving Piper crazy. "It's been three hours, since he went up there…angelic-my-ass…"

"Piper" Phoebe muttered stopping the rant before it could gain momentum. Despite the situation she found her lips curling up in amusement at her sister's typically Piper antics. It lasted mere seconds. Glancing above her glasses at Piper she found the resolve that had been gracing the face of her big sister break completely. Her features crumpled so painfully that it caused Phoebe's organs to twist in an equal agony. Piper sucked in a heavy breath, by the time she blinked open her eyes her pain, worry and fear were at the fore.

"I can't do this again…" She whispered, although the quiet did not disguise the hurt. "What did we do…I can't lose another sister…my baby sister, I can't fail again, Pheebs. I love her so, so much…" Piper stopped abruptly as if shocked.

"I love her Pheebs"

"I know sweetie"

"No…no, after Prue I didn't think I could, I thought it was a sure-fire way to get hurt again. So I, Oh god…Phoebe I've never told her" Piper drew in a hitched breath feeling prickles at the corners of her eyes, "I've never told my baby sister that I love her" Her voice finally broke as it was suffocated by the sobs.

Phoebe wrapped her shaking sister in a tight embrace. She moved her chin from Piper's shoulders pushing her nose through the shampoo-scented hair, finding her sister's listening ear she whispered quietly, "She knows"

_

* * *

_

_Year 1999_

Prue watched as her little sister had lapsed to silence, her big brown eyes shiny and glassy. Her big sister instincts had kicked in as if they were a rope hauling her out of her stricken state. Her own aching grief was subdued by the ache she could feel emanating from the young woman, and now it was her mission to solve it. Prue placed a hand on the Paige's shoulder; the dark haired girl flinched softly pulling away. Prue caught her gaze as she looked sorrowfully up at her as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I don't want to screw up again" Paige whispered breathily. Damn, she hated to cry but between her own emotions and the presence of her older sister her words were soaked in a sniffle she couldn't avoid. Prue was silent. A wave of nausea passed as she realised that she had no idea how to comfort her sister…her _baby_ sister. She didn't know if she was like Piper; who would rant angrily to disguise her upset; or if she would change the subject or run as far or as fast as possible like Phoebe; or if she would be like herself, too stubborn to admit that there was anything wrong. Her arm hovered across Paige's shoulders, lightly rubbing soothing circles with her fingers.

Even the share-all attitude of Phoebe and Piper had not erased Paige's tendency to bottle up her pain, and nowafter sharing her feelings had got her here in the first place, Paige felt uneasy about doing so again. However, the words spilled as if they would never stop because of the comforting touches of her sister. "She thinks I don't trust her…it's it's not that, it's just…and now they both hate me. I tried to fix it Prue, but my spell…I came here instead. I don't know what to do. I just…"

Prue stood swiftly, hands hovering at her hip. "Right, its time I did my first job as your big sister" The no messing tone and look in Prue's blue eyes shot a ray of hope through the youngest Halliwell, she took a deep breath and looked as sincerely as she could into Paige's brown ones. "Talk to me…"

Gratitude welled up inside the younger woman, she pulled her gaze away from the intensity of Prue's look and let the words drip slowly from her lips, savouring the listening ear of her eldest sister.

_

* * *

_

_Present_

Before he could shake of the familiar tingle of orbing, or wait for the haze of blue to fade away Leo stood in the spotlight of two concerned gazes. Both Piper and Phoebe had immediately lifted their eyes from the witchy supplies that were scattered messily on the floor around the Book of Shadows.

"The spell worked for a reason…" Leo said slowly before he could be interrogated. He looked at the floor knowing that he stood to be burned by the concerned gazes of his wife and sister-in-law, "the Elders say when it has worked its course it will be reversed" he finished drawing in a deep breath anticipating a typical Piper reaction.

He was unnerved by the silence.

"When?" Piper whispered, standing swiftly. "How long is when? Do you know where?" Her voice raised to a sharp screech. "Leo?"

"I'm sorry Piper" He said flatly, "They don't know"

Piper's dislike for the Elders coursed violently through her body but she bit her lip on the rant as she caught a glance of her younger sister's soft brown eyes. A wet sheen clouded them and her face was visibly paled.

"Pheebs?" She asked in a soft tone.

"Its all my fault" She whispered tonelessly, still sat on the floor. Those four words were all Piper needed to know that Phoebe had crumbled without even shedding a tear. "I said that I didn't trust her…god, I said that to my sister" Her babble was laced with disgust and tinted with defeat and so monotonous that it disturbed Piper to see that Phoebe's sunny disposition had clouded to darkest black.

Piper had to quash her own upset fast. "Hey missy, I won't have you talking that way. Okay?" When Phoebe didn't respond Piper closed the space between them pushing her little sister's chin upward with gentle authority, forcing her to look her in the eye. "You made a mistake Phoebe. I made a mistake…we've made a lot of mistakes with Paige, all of us, and me especially…" she trailed off for a moment struggling. "But you didn't force our baby sister to dream up a half-cocked spell that sent her half-angel butt flying through time to god knows where. She did that on her own. That damned Halliwell stubborn gene has a lot to answer for…" Despite the situation Phoebe smiled again at her sister's ability to rant. One glance at the empty spot where she would have traded a knowing look with Paige wiped it right away.

"I forgot what it means to be a sister" Her sad tone not fully conveying the horror that whirled inside on her realisation.

"We both did…" Piper corrected feeling exactly the same. "So its time to start remembering…"

"Attic?" Phoebe asked seeing lightbehind her sombre cloud.

"You betcha" The older which grasped for her the hand of her little sister, needing the comfort as they headed up the stairs.

* * *

_Year 1999_

Prue had listened silently as her baby sister had told her tale, wanting to hug the woman as she told of how Piper and Phoebe had reacted.

"Wow, I can't believe Phoebe of all people reacted like that" Prue said, in a firm voice.

"What?" Paige's head shot up in disbelief at somebody understanding her plight. She had been expecting the similar reaction in the oldest Halliwell that she had received from Piper.

"She's been on the receiving end…" Prue muttered guiltily. Paige cocked her head to the side, encouraging her to continue. "I was once engaged to a guy called Roger because of him I lost sight of what it means to be family, when he told me that Phoebe had tried to kiss him, I was blind to family…and I didn't believe my baby sister."

Paige's heart ached in sympathy for Phoebe, she knew she adored her older sister. "Poor Pheebs"

"Yeh, I knew I'd failed at the big sister gig, when I sent my sister running across the other side of the country to get away from me"

"Don't be silly, they adored –adore you" Paige coughed quickly and cursed inwardly at her slip. She breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that Prue hadn't noticed.

"And Piper, the girl who was almost Mrs Warlock! I'm surprised she's not being more careful."

Paige gaped at the revelation remaining silent as Prue recalled the rest of the story with a smile, giggling at the expense of how naive her younger sister had been. It was a story that Paige only half-listened to as insteadshe tried to remember everything about the sister she had never met. She tried to burn to memory the wayPrue talked, flicking her hands animatedly, her deadpan sense of humour, they way her eyebrow twitched when she was being sarcastic and how her eyes turned in an instant from shiny seriousness to a twinkling impishness when she was joking. What Paige noticed most of all was her fierce protective nature, noticing that her 'big sister mode' supressed the pain that she had seen earlier on the older witch.

Paige broke out of her reverie when she saw Prue bite her lip, furrowing her brow, "Hmm, so what's the name of the guy who's causing the latest, oh wait - future Halliwell Heartache?"

"Cole Turner" Prue furrowed her brow as Paige spoke not able tokeepa hold ofthe disdain that laced her words. "Lawyer."

Prue couldn't help but snort at the way Paige wrinkled her nose in disgust. It was so adorably childlike Prue felt another jolt of anguish for her sister's situation. "I'm sorry about Piper and Phoebe, I think they're just trying to look out for each other, it's so hard being a big sister you just want to do your best for your family but that's no excuse…they obviously made a mistake." Prue absentmindedly ran her hands through her younger sister's dark hair, trying to comfort in the only way she could.

As they lapsed into comfortable silence, Prue's gazed back out onto the green surroundings trying to focus all her thought. She felt eyes on her and turned to find her little sister looking at her intently, anstrange expression on her face. It was almost a grief stricken expression, Prue knew that. It was the way she spent looking at Andy as she held him close for the last time.When she realised she was caught Paige's brown eyes widened and she let out hushed squeak. Her ivory features looked odd as they tinged with a deep pink blush as she refused to meet the gaze of her sister.

"Sorry, its just…nothing…I mean, its just, this…wow!" Paige spluttered unable to stem the flow of words.

Prue was speechless as everything about this situation spun in her head, her previous grief paled in comparison. As thoughts whirled into a terrifying place, bile rose in her throat, the green surroundings went fuzzy as she pondered the terrible realisation her head had pieced together.

She wanted to know, just about as much as she didn't…it was the only thing that made sense of everything that Paige had said…and why underneath her small smile her baby sister looked so, so sad.

"Paige" She began seriously, taking a deep breath. "How long have I been gone?"

* * *

_TBC...Please Review..._


	5. Spelling the Truth

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: Thanks for reading and your kind comments. Since you all liked the Prue and Paige interaction, here's some more! Hope you enjoy this one...and please review!_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 5: Spelling the Truth.**

* * *

_Year 1999_

IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, Paige's face blanched even paler. It made her dark brown eyes seem odd against her skin as they widened in surprise at her sister's question.

Prue only had to look upon her baby sister to have her question answered.

How could she leave them? How could she leave Piper, Phoebe and Paige. That would be breaking the promise she had made to her mother, the only one she had ever cared about keeping. Winding up dead was not a great way to protect her sisters. Feelings of failure began to stamp onto her heart andthey made her feel like she was about to throw up as she choked on the burning bile that was stuck in her throat. Despite the tears in her eyes, with determination, she tried to stand but she swayed dangerously, and Paige was forced to catch the older woman.

She had failed Andy and now she was going to fail her sisters.

Prue bit her lip hard trying to will the pain away but tears fell and her sobs escaped.

Paige wrapped her arms tightly around her sister finally feeling Prue's resolve cracking beneath her warm arms. The strength, spark and bravery of her older sister evaporated leaving her a mass of shaking limbs. Paige recognised the hurt that was slowly breaking her older sister and it made her cry too and she sobbed alongside her sister. Prue clutched her knees tightly and Paige was wrapped around her. They curled up together in grief; holding each other.

"I'm sorry Prue…I'm so sorry" Paige whispered through the radiating ache in her chest. They were the only words she could offer and she wished she could do more to take the pain away.

"It's not-your-fault" Prue gasped, each of the words regulating her breath and stilling the sobs. The spark of Paige's words seemed to have evaporated the tears in her eyes and now, it was as if fire blazed from within their blue. Slowly, she looked up and right into Paige's dark eyes, "It's not your fault, it's them. It's THEM! They mess with us and for what? For destiny? First they took our Mom, then Grams, they're the reason you didn't get to grow up with family….god, and then they took him too."

An aura of anger blasted out of the older woman. Her usual calm exteriorhad been evaporated by the rage that exploded into such an unpredictable force that it could be felt in the air. She tore her gaze away from her baby sister and rising forcefully, directed her rage at the sky, "Well, screw that, none of us ever asked to be Charmed…" her voice crashed through the peace thunderously and the wind seemed to respond blowing violently around the two women. Their dark hair flailed in all directions as Prue continued her tirade. "I'm quitting, you hear that…I'm done. No more power of three…no more destiny, nothing…you hear that?"

Then, she was spent of all feeling. On shaking legs she collapsed back sitting on the bench, succumbing to the desire not to feel. Prue was about to embrace it fully. She wanted to give in to indifference, to forget all the pain and to make it go away. It was slowly extinguishing the fierce streak and the strength that had burned in her for so long. Her heart and her mind were closing and it was a frightening sight.

Prue Halliwell was giving up.

Paige reeled at what she was seeing. It passed in front of her eyes like a horror film, one that she wanted to look away from but she found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from the broken woman in front of her. Prue stared wordlessly into space; the red raw eyes had no tears streaking from them but she looked far from content. An empty shell of grey skin and dull eyes. She had given up feeling, for Andy, for her, for Piper and Phoebe, for anything…she was weak and she radiated hollowness.

Paige's heart wanted her to scream at the sight, but her no sound could escape from her throat. As silence descended upon the gloomy day, there was something that rang incessantly in her ears.

_Take me back to the moment in time, where I can heal my sisterly crime. __Ancient powers heed my call, send me there to fix it all…_

Her spell?

Paige had meant to fix the situation between her and Phoebe, but her spell hadn't worked as she had intended and had brought her to Prue.

Paige cast another eye upon the figure of her big sister. She looked so small and forlorn that it sent a jolt of sickness to through her. This was the shadow of the great Prue Halliwell she had heard about, seen, dreamt of and imagined and it seemed so wrong. She had the chance to do something for her big sister, a chance that she had previously been denied. Her spell had not failed.

She was supposed to fix _this._

She just had to shake off the blankness and decide what to do.

PAIGE SWALLOWEDHEAVILYbefore she could speak. "You can't" she rasped into the silence. "You can't"

"Can't what?" Prue replied flatly, her voice was laced with uncaring venom and she didn't raise her head to acknowledge her baby sister, the emptiness was working, chasing away all her feeling from the inside out.

"You can't give up Prue."

"Why not?" Prue rounded her blank glare onto Paige wearing a challenge on her pale features.

"Because you can't, this is what you do, being a witch. I know that because this is what I do or…" She screwed up her face. "…will do. Do you think that Piper or Phoebe will give up even if you do?..." She trailed off, trying to muster up enough bravery as she could to take on the infamous Prue Halliwell, to try reach her core and to get her to feel again.

* * *

_Present_

"The kitchen…Piper Halliwell stands, at home in her natural habitat" Phoebe said softly, quietly approaching the figure at the counter who was violently whisking some poor egg whites to death.

"Hi Pheebs." She said without turning around. "You're awake."

"Yeah, and I can't believe I fell asleep, or that the Book of Shadows has zero information" Phoebe sighed. "Why didn't you wake me?" She asked, concern in her voice.

"Well, Miss Phoebe Halliwell, you have this extremely annoying habit of looking way too cute when you're asleep. It reminded me of when we were little, with less of the magic and the complicated, and where Prue was still here…" Piper smiled as she got lost in the memory,

---

Sixteen-year-old Piper knocked softly on the door, she knew that she wouldn't get an answer but Piper's impeccable manners surfaced out of habit and she knocked anyway. This morning, waking up Phoebe was her job.

She had drawn the short straw. These days, her thirteen-year-old sister was grumpy at the best of times and in the mornings her grouchiness never failed to be off of the chart. She turned the handle of the door purposely taking a deep breath in preparation to holler the wake up call at her sleeping sister. She strode through trying to avoid the clutter but she lost her stride as the bed came into view.

A geyser of dark hair spilled over the top of the duvet. One arm was thrown over and curled around the pillow. Phoebe was in the centre of a tangle of blankets, her other arm laid softly on top of her blankets, trailing up to her face. Piper smiled at her little sister, her thumb wrapped between her soft baby-pout. She sucked on it gently while her eyelids fluttered to the dozen, obviously watching some idyllic dream. Piper's smile turned to a full on grin, that Phoebe, usually sosullen and rebellious: the girl that lately, oozed attitude and sarcasm from every pore, could look so childlike and innocent.

Piper didn't have the heart to wake her up and was content to leave her, and watch the rise and fall of her chest, forgetting the task she had come up to do.

She was soon distracted by the heavy footsteps on the stairs, and sure enough her older sister poked her head around the door seconds later.

"What's going on Piper? You've been up here for ages, the coffee is getting cold…" Prue asked.

"Look Prue, I couldn't wake her up, she looks so cute." Piper gushed warmly.

Prue screwed up her nose softly and furrowed her brow, "We are talking about Phoebe right?"

Piper started to answer but Prue had already bounded onto the bed. "Phoebe Halliwell, its time to get your butt out of bed…NOW!" She shouted. The older Halliwell leapt off of the bed and scampered out of the room her.

"Ennnuggh!"Alow growl rose from the covers as one dark eye flickered open.All cuteness instantly disappeared as Phoebe came to her senses and her rude awakening. Piper giggled, but received a glare in reply.

"See you at breakfast Pheebs" She chuckled, backing quickly out of the door.

---

Piper's smile turned to a grimace as her memory faded. She looked back upon the adult Phoebe wishing she could have held onto that innocence, wishing that they all could have. Seeing her sister's worried expression brought her back into the moment, "Besides, someone should get some sleep around here…beats the waiting…"

"I hate the waiting" Phoebe agreed.

"You hungry?" Piper motioned to her bowl of eggs. Piper knew that she wasn't hungry, since Paige disappeared, that hole had been filled with anxiety and emotion. It was the Piper way really, she had had to do something before her thoughts drove her crazy and well, she had thought that the cooking would relax her. Pity it hadn't worked. Guilty at refusing, unknowingly feeling exactly the same as her big sister, Phoebe shook her head. It caused Piper to sigh in frustration and she dropped the whisk. It clattered loudly in the quiet.

"You know" Piper sighed, looking over the dining table where Paige's untidiness had ensured that her stuff was strewn all over it. There was a box of potion ingredients that she'd left out; her tattered half-opened mail mixed up in the newspaper and an unfinished glass of water with a tell-tale stain of shimmering lip-gloss: Paige's ruby shade. "If she was here, I'd so be nagging her to tidy up. Now, I don't want to touch it because it makes me feel like she's still here."

"She _is _still here Piper" Phoebe said seriously, looking right up at her sister whose usually stoic lip was threatening to quiver again. "At least where it counts, you know?" Phoebe's hand hovered over her chest, as she used her other to interlace her fingers with Piper's giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"I know, but…" Piper paused, "Sometimes I still think that about Prue" Piper swallowed her emotions; she was the big sister now. She couldn't cry; she had to be strong, like her big sister was. "But she's gone" She said tonelessly.

"You know that's not true, Piper. She's still there. I know you can feel her. I can, almost every second of every day. She never gave up on us, and I don't believe for a second that death has stopped her. You know how stubborn she was…" Phoebe allowed herself a small smile at the memory of her big sister. "…the point is, Prue would never have given up on us. And we can't give up on Paige. This time our sister is coming back to us."

"Thanks Pheebs" Piper muttered so quietly that Phoebe almost didn't catch it. However the renewed hope on her sister's face was as much thanks as she needed. Piper stepped back crossing her arms and looking at her younger sister with her brown eyes narrowed. "Hey, when did you get all wise?"

"Learned from the best?" Phoebe suggested, fully exercising her innocent pout.

"Yeah we did" Piper agreed. She pulled her sister into a tight hug fondly remembering the eldest whilst Phoebe's words renewed her hope for the youngest. When they broke apart she gently placed a loose tendril of hair back behind her sister's ear. "So this not giving up…it takes us back to waiting game huh?" A small smile tugged at her mouth, as she awkwardly fiddled with her hands.

"Yep" Phoebe replied flashing a soft smile back.There was definitely more waiting to come.

But they just wanted it to end.

* * *

_Year 1999_

PAIGE STOOD SWIFTLY in front of the older witch, crossing her arms and looking at her with a penetrating gaze. The authoritative gesture jerked Prue out of her thoughts with a mixture of amusement, surprise and recognition.

"…think Prue. Think of how much good you've done. There's still so much more for you to do. If you're the Prue Halliwell that I've heard about, there's no way that you would walk away from that. From the people that need you" Paige ranted with fervour at her older sister "Andy was a cop right? He cared about protecting innocent people just like you do. He wouldn't want you to give that up? You can't stop the evil that took him away from you but you can protect others from it." She paused to take a breath, "But you can't do that without your magic."

The younger Halliwell fixed an unrelenting glare at her elder sister that seemed to last an eternity. Paige had connected with something inside her that fought at the emptiness that had made a hollow within her.

Gradually she realised that it was true; Prue couldn't live with knowing that other people were in danger. Not only future innocents destined to receive her help, but her sisters, her _three _baby sisters.

It sparked something within her again. Thoughts of her Piper, Phoebe and Paige, turned her grieving ache into a surge of love and a desire to protect. It trickled into the emptiness and she felt strength start to flow through her again. The strength to accept her magic, to accept what had happened to Andy and to accept her own future death was renewed.

But it wasn't going to be easy.

It took a long time for her to look up. With a sigh, a small smile spread across her face as she still felt a brown-eyed gaze burning into her. "Wow, at least I know one of my sisters talks some good sense."

"Well I knew that!" The younger Halliwell remarked stubbornly.

Paige's serious look dissolved into a smirk before both sisters easily fell into much needed laughter. Prue watched her as the smile lit up her sister's pretty face. She exuded the wide-eyed innocence that every baby sister should, but the older woman was both marvelled and pained by the streak of independence that also resided in her eyes. But Prue had witnessed the feistiness of this young woman who'd managed the impossible: she had gotten Prudence Halliwell to admit that she was wrong. Their likenesses were striking, from their similar appearances which went with being sisters to their matching spirited attitudes that were equally coupled with a driving stubborn streak. As Prue watched her, Paige's hand had even drifted to her hip. It was a mannerism shared by both sisters. However, it went unnoticed by both, as the wonder of being in each others presence still hung in the air.

In turn Paige knew her job was done, she was savouring the comfort her sister provided. It had put her situation with Piper and Phoebe into firm perspective. She was going to go home and sort things out with her sisters, to forget her own reservations. The Cole thing didn't matter any more. The only thing that mattered was her sisters. Prue had shown her this, and she wouldn't forget it.

The two sisters settled into a comfortable silence side-by-side. Always unable to sit still Paige wrung her hands in her lap. Prue took advantage of the quiet moment, her whirling emotions given respite for a brief while. Unconsciously her arm dropped around the shoulders of the younger witch who responded by dropping her head softly onto her shoulders. Paige's dark waves and the smell of her shampoo tickled her older sister's nose. The special embrace caught up on a lifetimes missed moments and both women knew they would cherish it forever.

It ended as Prue shifted uncomfortably, "How did I …" she began abruptly, as she broke into the moment. There was an unusual nervous quiver hanging in her voice. "How did I die?"

Paige drew in a long breath at the question she knew had been inevitable. She blinked softly, repelling the single tear that had surged at the question. "I only know what Piper and Phoebe told me. All I know is that it was a demon…" She began tentatively checking her sister's reaction. Prue fixed her gaze and nodded back urging her to continue. "…called Shax. They tried to get you back, did a 'to call a lost witch' spell. But the spell didn't bring you back." She swallowed as she laid bare the guilt that had followed her ever since she had found her sisters, "It found me instead."

"Wait…" Prue's brow was furrowed heavily, "we never met while I was alive?"

"We have now." Paige smiled weakly as her eyes glazed over with tears.

The new revelation made her want to recoil in horror and clutch tighter on to her sister all at the same time.

It had been quiet for a long time and an empty space had squeezed between them. Neither knew how to close it again until Prue began to whisper softly, "I have to die"

The realisation seemed to erase the crease from her forehead and a curious smile curled onto her lips as she uttered it loudly, with triumphant expression,

"I have to die"

* * *

TBC...What would make Prue think that...I wonder? Hope you liked it...Please review. 


	6. Gone and still Forgotten

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: This entire chapter takes place in the past: year 1999. Thanks for all the wonderful feedback and I hope you like this chapter._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 6: Gone and still forgotten.**

* * *

THE REALISATION SEEMED to erase the crease from her forehead and a curious smile curled onto her lips as she uttered it loudly, with triumphant expression, "I have to die" the gloomy words shone a mysterious ray of hope through the mess of emotions she was feeling. 

Paige coughed violently and then froze, shocked into stillness as if she had received a sudden, sharp slap. Only her hair moved, the raven tendrils billowed all around her, as if dancing to the beat of her slow blinking.

"No" She whispered painfully. The simple word bore the full weight of her distress. How could she lose her sister all over again? She felt as if she had gotten to know her, in this short period of time. She felt such a strong connection to the older woman that, to have it severed now would be heartbreaking. She had already lost her older sister once, again she had to travel back home to a time without her, where she was gone. Surely they could change the past; they could have a different future now. It was possible, wasn't it? What the hell was magic for if it couldn't do this? Meeting Prue had caused a surge of hope and possibilities and the longing and love for her big sister had taken over.

Prue winced at Paige's reaction. The fact that she had caused such hurt to flicker across the face of her youngest sister hurt her too. It was almost like a ache that nestled itself in her stomach and Prue felt it threefold, knowing Phoebe and Piper would also be casualties of her tragic destiny.

It hurt to look too closely at the younger woman: her pale features ethereal and childlike. Paige's arms clutched onto her own body tightly her eyes held onto a faraway look. Looking deeply into those dark pools chilled her older sister to the core. No fear or distress rested in them; instead, acceptance shimmered disturbingly within. Paige was far too used to abandonment and solitude and it showed.

"Oh sweetie" Prue said as she desperately reached out for contact with her sister.

"Don't" Paige spat. She flew from her sister's grasp causing both their hearts to jolt. "This is what they all do…"

Paige levelled a wet but defiant stare at her older sister. Her face failed to stay scrunched up in anger as it washed away and her lip failed to stay still. As shame added itself to the concoction of feelings she had to look away.

She took in a shuddery breath, "…T-they all leave. You're just the same…"

"Don't think for one second that I wouldn't change it if I could…" Prue pleaded with the younger witch, desperately wanting to ease her hurt, she just wanted to hug it all away.

"Yeah right…" Even through her tears Paige stubbornly proved true to her Halliwell colours. Still refusing to look at her older sister she swung her legs petulantly as she sat, scuffing the toes on the grimy floor. As Prue blinked, she had a flash of the child that Paige had been. The one she should have had the chance to comfort. It was desperately unfair: she should have had the chance to be overly protected by Prue; to have experienced the excessive babying of Piper and god knows what kind of hell Paige would have raised with Phoebe. She should have been loved and protected by them all along.

"Listen Paige." Prue found herself raising her voice to get the attention of the younger witch. "I love Piper and Phoebe with all my heart. I would do anything to protect them. I have. I always will." She sighed, meeting Paige's unconvinced glare. "But today I found out that I have another sister that I was cheated at the chance to love and protect in the same way. But you know what I've figured out Paige? I _do _have the chance to protect her, I can…"

"How?" Paige cut her off disbelievingly. She turned away from the burning gaze of her older sister. She didn't want her big sister seeing her so weak and vulnerable. Paige hated to feel like that, she didn't want to admit that she needed to be protected and loved by this woman who pledged it so openly at no cost…but Paige had often found out, there was always a cost.

"Please listen to me. Paige, look at me…" Prue found that her 'big-sister-voice' worked and the younger Halliwell relented, slowly turning to face her. She hesitantly reached for Paige's hand. She didn't protest so Prue held it with both of her own. "I have to die so that my sister's find you. It's the only way we know for certain that it can happen. I have to do this, it is the one thing, perhaps the only thing I can do as your big sister…please Paige, I am going to do this for you."

"But it'll be my fault…they'll blame me, just like they did already" Her voice broke, "Only this time I'll know it was my fault" bitterness laced her words and her voice crackled with all the emotions she felt when she first met Piper and Phoebe. It was a bewildering mixture of rejection, hurt, hope and happiness.

"No Missy Paige…" That Prue unknowingly uttered her nickname, forced a smile to blossom as her sister talked, "I nearly gave up today, all because I was blaming myself. Lucky for me, my sister was here talk some sense. I'm not gonna let you do the same, Paigey. Today, my baby sister showed me not to give up. I can't give up on her…even if it seems like it. This is the only way, Paige. It is not giving up; it's giving my baby sister a chance so I can keep my promise. It will never be your fault, Paige. Sometimes life can be cruel and we're just caught in the middle following the destinies we're given…and now I know, this is mine."

Paige couldn't help the fat tears that dropped onto her cheeks "They want you… they just want you back…not me, and now you have the chance…you should. It doesn't matter about me…"

"Of course it does, you're our baby sister. Nothing changes that, nothing. You deserve to be with your family, with our family. Piper and Phoebe will understand everything eventually I know they will, and they love you…"

Her head dropped in heartbreaking doubt. Her hair fell slowly across her features covering them in a dark mask, "How do you know?" She asked from under her dark waves.

Prue bit back despair at her words. Placing both thumbs under Paige's chin she lifted it upwards. The younger girls eyes fluttered shut sending the unshed tears on the wet paths across her cheeks. Prue's thumbs swept over the pale skin to meet them, wiping them away. When the pale lids sprung open she looked intently into the tearstained eyes.

"Because" She whispered softly, "They love you like I do."

As she swept her youngest sister into a hug, she placed a sweet kiss onto her forehead. It was what she was supposed to do. She was supposed to comfort and protect and now she had kept her promise.

In a daze of dizziness Paige pulled away. She began to feel as if her organs were fighting to stay inside her body. It was the familiar pull of time tugging at her essence. She was leaving. She buried herself into the embrace, wanting to burn the feel of comfort into her skin, the feel of Prue. The younger Halliwell was pulled from the arms of her sister like a marionette. Her limbs flew in all directions, she was at the mercy of one of the most potent forces, she could do nothing as the voice faded further away and she strained to hear, "It's not the end Paige. I'm still your sister and I always will be. In life or death…past, present and future; I'm inside you, Piper and Phoebe, and I'm in your memories and dreams…" Her sister's voice was lost in the past once more until it echoed softly one last time.

"Remember…three kicks one tug…three kicks one tug" The last words she would hear her sister say.

"I love you Prue" She whispered weakly as she slipped away from the past and back into the future.

* * *

RAW AND EXHAUSTED, and with a weighted heart it had taken Prue a long time to get to the familiar red manor she called home. Now, she needed the comfort of familiarity more than ever. She steadied herself, running a hand self-consciously in her hair in an effort to look presentable in case her sisters were inside. With a last, deep breath she crept in quietly heading straight up to the attic to call Leo. 

He was already there, a worried smile sitting beneath his twinkling green eyes. Prue looked away from them, knowing they were worse than the sharp eyes of her baby sisters. They saw beyond all of Prue's façades and never failed to ease the truth out of her. This was not what she needed now. She dared to shift her gaze back to his face only when he leaned heavily onto the bookstand a small vial clasped in one hand.

"It's memory dust." He said unnecessarily. "…and they said no questions" he said, and simply offered her the small bottle.

Prue directed a thin smile at him as she accepted it, relived at not being questioned. What a tale it would be…she couldn't go through it again. It would be too much.

"Thanks."

She gazed intently at the sparkling dust moving as she flipped the bottle over. These miniscule particles would erase something so significant. She was lucky to spend the day with Paige, she wished she could be allowed to remember it. The important thing was that her baby sister would. Even if she couldn't remember, Prue knew their connection would last for always, as sisters and as witches. Despite the short time she had known her she loved her baby sister, just as she loved Piper and Phoebe,but there was one more thing to do before she used that dust.

---

"Oh Prue!" Phoebe wailed dramatically throwing her arms around her big sister. "Don't. You. Ever. Do. That. Again."

Prue gasped for air when her younger sister finally let go of her. Despite the fact that her bones had almost crunched underneath Phoebe's martial arts trained arms, the warmth that shot through her at the contact brought a smile to her face.

"Wait a minute, who's the big sister here?" Prue joked, looking between her younger sisters.

Her smile plummeted as her sisters remained stony faced. Piper's usually warm brown eyes sat coldly under her fringe her lips were pressed together tightly, her cheeks were sucked and her hands firmly set at her hips. The beaming smile Phoebe had worn earlier also dissolved. Although the youngest witch wore her hair in plaited bunches, it did nothing to offset the no-nonsense look on her face.

"What?" She said, shifting uncomfortably.

"You disappeared" Piper said shortly. The middle Charmed one was seething, torn between complete joy at the return of her big sister and the fury that she had been gone for half a day without a word. Prue wasn't a sharer and hardly let anyone, even her two sisters, in on her real feelings, but when she had suddenly disappeared, the two younger sister's had been worried sick.

She was still worried. Even though Piper saw that her sister was as deathly pale she had been ever since Andy had gone. She noticed that underneath her cloud of sadness, there was a small sparkle in her eyes. It was the one she wore when she was fighting demons and casting spells. Ever since Andy's death Prue had become withdrawn and quiet with a vacant look making her blue eyes very cold. She had shown no interest in anything. Piper and Phoebe had even vanquished two demons without her. Now, her determination and purpose had returned and Piper was glad.

Apparently Phoebe had noticed too. The younger Halliwell frowned lightly at her older sister, "Hey Prue, you seem…" She paused wanting to choose her words carefully. "…happier?"

"Yeah I am, I think.." Prue wouldn't describe herself as that…yet. But she couldn't bear to deflate the hopeful smiles that crossed the faces of her baby sisters. But she was getting there somehow, because of today she was closer to okay than she had been in a while; her mind was fuzzy, probably because of the lack of sleep. A mysterious dark haired girl surfaced, in her memory. Iit wasn't vivid but a blur of pale features, cherry lips and dark waves slowly trickled to mind. Strangely, she couldn't remember another thing but she was sure it was real.

"I ran into someone today…" Prue said, rubbing her head absently. Phoebe smiled but Piper shot her a look of concern that Prue caught.

"It was okay Piper, not of the evil type" She sighed, trying to remember "We talked. She got me to see that it's okay to carry on…Andy would've wanted me too, plus I have you guys…" she sent a silent smile up to her sister's that both returned.

"Wow, she sounds like an amazing person? I wish we would have gotten to meet her." Phoebe said wistfully. The youngest Halliwell watched the smile turn to silent scepticism on Piper's face. Phoebe intercepted the frown and poking Piper in the side.

"Ow.." Piper yelped, she threw a glare at Phoebe before putting back her enthusiastic smile.

"Somehow, I think you will" She replied, missing the exchange between her younger sister's. Prue didn't know how on earth she knew this but it was a feeling that niggled in her stomach. She shrugged the feeling off as Phoebe caught her attention. As she looked carefully at Phoebe, the youngest Halliwell squeaked and suddenly retreated from her steely glare.

"You know, Miss Phoebe Halliwell, that sooo better not be my jacket…"

Phoebe scampered loudly up the stairs, hastily returning the offending jacket to its owner's wardrobe. Prue followed seconds later and just as loudly hitting all the creaking floorboards on her way.

As the muffled exchanges floated down the stairs to Piper, she smiled a silent thank-you to this 'mysterious girl', whoever she was, who'd managed to ease at least some of Prue's hurt as she revelled in the chaos of everyday life of her sisters. She'd given it back to them.

And Piper was grateful.

* * *

_TBC...What will happen to Paige when she arrives back in the future? Hope you liked it. I know you all wanted me to bring Prue back, but it was always going to go this way...(expects rotten tomatoes) who knows? there's a lot to be said for cameo appearances ;-) Please tell me what you think..like or loathe._


	7. Back to the Future

**Kindred Sisters**

**Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.**

_A/N: It's been a long time, I know. But I'm going to attempt to finish this. I've got no idea if it's going to match up to what went before. _

_Feedback much appreciated._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will..._

**Chapter 7: Back to the Future**

Present

As they ate in silence, neither sister could take their eyes away from the empty space at the table. Although hungry, Phoebe chewed solemnly while Piper shoved the scrambled mass around her plate. Unable to take it any longer, Piper slammed her cutlery down onto the table. It clattered, but her sister barely winced, understanding entirely the frustration and helplessness she felt.

The clatter of the cutlery was echoed by a sudden heavy clatter from above them. The attic. A flash of hope passed between two pairs of brown eyes – a split second of stillness – before both women leapt up and dashed upstairs.

With the adrenaline pulsing through her veins, Piper was ready for any kind of ass-kicking. She threw her hands back, ready to blow the attic door off its hinges, before a voice filtered through to her senses.

"Piper, wait…" Phoebe sensed that an explosion wasn't needed. She placed a hand on the older witches shoulder, smoothing it through her hair to the small of her back. Piper was jolted to stillness at the touch and Phoebe stepped in front of her, shifting the heavy door with trepidation. As the attic came into view, Phoebe gasped at the sight in front of her and at the sheer weight of emotion emanating from her baby sister. Paige looked like she had landed in a heap on the floor, dark hair spilling everywhere, some of it stuck across her porcelain features. Having found her bearings and realized her sisters were in the room she tentatively sat up, pushed her disheveled fringe from her face, pulled her knees towards her and hugged them tightly.

Paige was back in one piece. Phoebe started a sigh of relief that was cut short when she reached a pair of vacant brown eyes. This sudden vulnerability shocked Phoebe. Her baby sister sat silently and emotionless; however her tearstained face and smudged make-up were signs of tumultuous emotion. Phoebe knew Paige well enough by now to know that this was a sign that something was very wrong.

Phoebe crept quietly towards her and slowly began to reach, to offer a comforting touch. Before she reached Paige's trembling shoulder, Piper moved forward, almost stepping in front of her.

"Paige Matthews…" Piper spoke, with her volume increasing with every syllable. She had surveyed the scene as soon as Phoebe pushed open the door. Relief and happiness at her sister's return had flashed through her briefly. Yet, it was boiling, overprotective, big sister rage that had surfaced first and blasted across her lips before she could stop it.

"What in the underworldly hell did you think you were doing? And TIME TRAVELLING your whitelighter butt to God Knows where – don't you remember how dangerous that is? Future consequences…"

Paige didn't move at first but looked up staring squarely at her older sister. The sound and anger of her sister faded into background noise compared with the stomach-churning grief she was feeling. Her lips wanted to speak but she could make no sound come out. Even if she was able to speak, there would have been no point. What did she expect? To be welcomed back with open arms? _I should have known_ the youngest Charmed one thought. With wobbly legs, Paige scrambled to her feet and paced wordlessly from the room.

Heavy footsteps grew fainter until the front door clicked open. Seconds later, it slammed. In the seconds after, silence.

Unsteadily, Paige raced through the streets of San Francisco. Too emotional to orb safely, it felt better to feel her breath heave painfully in her chest. She couldn't move fast enough. Today was painted by the grey skies that gave everything around a gloomy tint and the city was wrapped in unbearable humidity that amplified each and every emotion. Gasping for air, gasping with emotion, gasping for calm – she didn't know the reason anymore – she arrived in the familiar green space that she had left only seconds before.

Alone.

It was a familiar feeling, but that didn't stop the pain of the realization searing through her gut. She'd been in this situation before: as a newborn when her parents abandoned her; as a teenager when her adoptive parents were killed and finally, and again now as an adult having screwed up the relationship she had with her sisters. She came to the familiar bench. It was more weathered than before, beaten; both capturing Paige's mood and serving as a painful reality check of the fact that Prue was gone. Under this weight of feeling, Paige's legs gave way and she sunk onto the bench.

She couldn't move. She couldn't think. Her eyes squeezed shut tightly. She needed hope. She could only focus on the memory of that face. If she could shut everything out, at this moment and hold on to the memory everything would be okay. She tried to go back to the moment: feeling Prue's soft hands hold her own tightly with the grip of someone who didn't want to let go. Remembering the feeling of her big sister's embrace, her insides wrenched. In a such a small, fleeting amount of time, Prue had given Paige complete acceptance as a sister, a witch, a listening ear, a friend and a source of advice. At least she had been able to help Prue in some way. She felt a strangling hurt as she realized that she wouldn't be able to say the same about Piper and Phoebe.

Especially Piper. And Phoebe (since she married Cole) had drifted away. _Where do I go from here?_ she thought.

Unable to hold back any longer, a half-sob escaped her throat fading unheard into her surroundings.

IT HAD ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, Phoebe was rooted to the spot as if she was grown out of the wooden floorboards. Shock, confusion and fear whirled a storm inside her stomach. These emotions began to rise as burning bile in her throat. She dared not look at her older sister whose furious reaction to a stricken Paige now made her feel slightly sick.

Finally, this sparked a rush of anger, "Piper –what the…"

A haunting roar rushed out of Piper's body; it was a symphony of responsibility, loss, regret and anger. By the time it was spent, all anger had faded from the noise – all that was left was sorrow. Several glass objects burst, an old chair turned to splinters as Piper flung her hands wildly.

Then she crumbled.

"One day Phoebe this _will_ give Grams another heart attack." Piper watched Prue's icy glare burn into her baby sister. Seventeen-year-old Phoebe's antics were far from innocent these days but she remained the baby sister all the same. Although Piper agreed with Prue's sentiments, her heart struggled to condone the way she delivered them. She knew her older sister was just trying to deliver words of wisdom but when it came to Phoebe, it seemed that whether she realized or not, her words were wrapped in hurt. When it came to Phoebe, her stubborn authority seemed to take over her rational mind and her senses.

She hated it when they fought. They'd butted heads since the day a pigtailed, not-so-innocent, wide-eyed toddler Phoebe was caught red-handed giving scissor and crayon make-overs to Prue's dolls. They always managed to hurt each other with words and looks. She'd watched it many times – sometimes not wanting, other times unable to intervene. She always picked up the shattered pieces, became the listening ear, the neutral source of advice about how to deal with the other.

"You'll be lucky if you finish to graduation at this rate…" Piper winced as she watched the angry fire evaporate from Phoebe's eyes. For a moment she glimpsed a flash of the young girl always so desperate to impress her oldest sister – the little girl in Phoebe's eyes shrank with disappointment before vanishing into a cloud of self-protection. Finally, Phoebe suppressed her with a veil of anger and stormed up the stairs to her room.

"I've got to get out of here…" Prue sighed, "Tell Grams I'll be back later!" The manor door rattled shut as she left.

Piper was so close to tears that everything began to swim in front of her. Why wasn't she brave enough to stop the hurt they caused each other?

She felt a hand touch her shoulder softly, "My darling Piper," Grams's voice brought her to her senses. It wasn't enough to stop a tear escaping. The older witch caught it before it had a chance to roll down her cheek.

"Why can't I stop –it…I mean –them?"

Piper thought she saw fear flash through the eyes of her Grandmother "I know, darling, they are rather feisty, even for Halliwell women." She sighed, "Come here, sweetie" Grams led Piper to the sofa, scooped her up into a tight hug (not caring her granddaughter was almost twenty) and held her hands tightly. Piper was soothed immediately.

"You're such a good girl. Piper. You make me so proud. You might not think it, sweetie, but you are the anchor that holds you all together. You already do so much for them – you're blessed with knowing them both so well, so you comfort them. Unfortunately, you can often see only too well how they hurt each other. It's a special job Piper. One only you can do for now and its more important than you know.

Grams' voice wavered slightly as she continued, "There will be a day when this will change – there will be something that will pull you all together…" The older woman trailed off as Piper furrowed her eyebrows skeptically. "Sweetie, don't look like that, I'm quite serious." Grams gave her a scalding look; it was the same the one that Prue had inherited to and echoed the scathing look used on Phoebe earlier.

Penny Halliwell let go of her granddaughter's hands and moved them up to clutch her cheeks. She raised Piper's face to look deeply into her eyes. "It's a gift Piper. To see them and to understand them so deeply - it might not feel like it but you do help them to understand, but it goes beyond that, beyond everything."

Piper's inner voice had many a sarcastic things to reply but the serious look on the older woman's face made her think twice. "Listen Piper, whatever happens to you girls as you grow up, you need to make sure that you keep on being you. Keep on understanding your sisters Piper. They will need you to, and you will need to be able to do this. Whatever happens…"

"Grams, I – "

"No Piper." Her Grandmother's voice lowered to a serious tone. The eyes which were so like her own shone with a steely glint. "Whatever happens…can you be there for your sisters?"

Even though she was slightly confused, Piper understood the seriousness of her request and began to nod slowly. Grams was often heavy with cryptic references that sometimes neither Prue, Phoebe or herself understood. However, all three of them knew to accept even the most cryptic of requests from their when she wore that particular expression. With that in mind she found her voice, "I will, Grams,"

Finding her Grandmother's eyes again, she watched as her features, etched with determination, relaxed with relief.

THE MEMORY BURNED as Piper swayed on unsteady legs. As she sunk slowly into a kneeling position, her younger sister appeared in front of her.

"What have I? Oh Grams, I'm sorry…" Piper muttered so quietly it only just broke into the heavy silence.

Phoebe placed a gentle hand on her sister's forehead soothing her to silence.

Phoebe had forgotten just how much of an adjustment being the oldest sister had been for Piper. Losing Prue had been shattering. They were both different now. They were both different sisters now that Paige was in their lives.

She brushed dark hair from Piper's face. No tears soaked her pale features – her older sister was more detached since Prue died – but Phoebe didn't need to see those to understand the pain written on her face.

"Piper?"

"I'm sorry Grams…" Piper seemed not to have heard her younger sisters. Her forehead creased, locked in thought as something flickered in her brown eyes,

She leapt to her feet suddenly, startling her younger sister. Phoebe bounced upwards after her, following her across the attic to the Book of Shadows.

"What have I done Pheebs?" Piper struggled to voice her question. Her sister left it unanswered and the silence deafened them both. "I need to find her…and…" Her mouth moved but she couldn't find the rest of the words, "Help me?"

Phoebe nodded.


	8. Broken Bonds

Kindred Sisters

Kinship. Love. Trust. Magic. Paige learns that some bonds can transcend anything. Can someone who she has never known show her? And will she accept the help she needs in return? All four sisters.

_A/N: It's been another long break since I last looked at this. I'm determined to finish this and think there will be one more chaper after this. I hope I don't ruin what went before... _

_Feedback much appreciated._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed, never have, never will.._

_Chapter 8: Broken Bonds_

_Present_

Behind the grey clouds, the sky had become darker. After the stifling humidity of the afternoon, the air had taken on a surprising coolness. Still on the bench, staring into the San Francisco skyline, Paige shivered.

The shivering at least had broken the stillness. All day Paige had remained on the bench. It was only when her long dark hair had caught on a gentle breeze, that there had been any movement. Only her dark eyes betrayed the stillness. If you looked closely at the deep pools, you could see the whirling thoughts, the sharp flashes of memory, the darkness of her pain. She had tried to keep still for hours now, to make it stop.

Closing her eyes left her with flashes of the day…

_"I'm sorry I don't trust him" _The words she had uttered, in total faith, trying her hardest to be a good sister; words that had created this mess…

Everything floated with a blur through her mind, over and over again it played: Phoebe's cold stare, laced with contempt as Paige shared reservations about Cole; the pain of Piper taking Phoebe's side without question, without realizing Paige's good intention, still coursed through her memory and of course all of her memories of Prue still played in her mind.

These were replayed the most. The images of her oldest sister created a swirl of joy. She tried to memorize every last detail of her raven hair, piercing eyes and willingness, even in such a short amount of time, to envelope her in the love and protection of a big sister. Alongside all this, though, was the painful reality. Prue had made the ultimate sacrifice. For her.

When her memory led her back to this realization, she could not stifle the sobs.

They could never know.

When Paige had first found her sisters, it had taken a long time for her to believe that this new found family really existed. Even though she had received a sisterly welcome from Piper and Phoebe, the shadow of their grief for Prue made bonding with her sisters even harder. Admittedly, Paige understood that her tough exterior hid a child-like fear of rejection. As an adopted child, even with the most loving parents, these feelings had lingered stubbornly, worsened by the death of the parents she adored. Through all of her adult life, until she found her sisters, she had been alone. In many ways, she liked it.

Her mind returned to Piper's unstoppable fury. Even if she could explain it all (she didn't even know if she could), she knew where it would lead. Prue was gone; she was here. It was all her fault.

She tried to brush away the wet trails on her cheeks as her breaths gradually shuddered to a regular rhythm. The tornado of feeling kept bringing her back to the same thought. Shoving her dark waves away from her pale face, she stood up. Paige took a deep breath and made her decision.

THEY HAD FLICKED through the book for hours and hours and hours it seemed. Piper, although pale and exhausted, overwhelmed with sickening guilt, worked with a fury. Endlessly, they had scryed for their little sister. Again and again, they attempted to call a lost witch. Each failed attempt made them quieter, more resigned. Phoebe's eyes flicked across to the older witch when she dared. Piper would not look at her.

"Why won't anything work?" Piper whispered, so quietly that Phoebe nearly missed it.

Phoebe shrugged. Her own mind was reeling with guilt, confusion and although she had seen the pain Piper was in, a small amount of anger at the reaction of her older sister towards Paige's return still bubbled below the surface. Fearing the worst, Phoebe really was worried that this time her family would be torn apart.

The Book of Shadows slammed shut, "I guess we've got to do this the old fashioned way then," Piper said defeated.

"Car keys?" Phoebe questioned. A small shimmer of hope surfaced in Piper's eyes. It dimmed Phoebe's worries for a second. Maybe everything would be alright. A long time ago, Piper always promised that everything would be alright.

It had been a long journey back from New York but this was the hardest part. Standing on the steps of the Manor, the house she had called 'home' even though she had been away for so long. Through tired eyes, she gazed at the familiar building. It had been cold in New York. The fleecy jacket and jeans she was wearing were too much for the San Francisco temperatures, or perhaps it was nerves making her overheat. She loosened her collar and gulped for some fresh air.

Suddenly, the door hinges began to creak, groan and open. In a whirl of panic and nerves, Phoebe turned on her heel to walk away. She wasn't quick enough. As the door opened, a soft humming filtered out into the open air. Enjoying the morning sun, casting one last look behind her, Phoebe saw Piper who was clutching a jug of water, heading to the large planters out on the front.

The humming stopped.

"Phoebe?" The hopeful tone of the question tugged at Phoebe as she began to cross the road. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her older sister. On hearing Piper's voice, why she left didn't matter anymore. She had made a mistake. She wanted to come home.

"Phoebe? Is that you?" Second time around, the voice of her older sister shattered her resolve to leave and her nerves. She breathed deeply, bit her lip, and shoved her hands in her pockets before turning around. She didn't make it all the way around before hands clasped her waist, squeezing tightly. As Piper was slightly shorter, Phoebe found her face buried in a mass of her sister's hair. The smell of Piper's shampoo, the same as it always had been, amplified her emotions and tears prickled from her dark-ringed eyes. Piper stepped back. Gently, she tucked her little sisters hair behind her ears as she'd always done. A smile broke across her morning-fresh face, making Phoebe crumble.

"Tears?" Piper questioned, "Hey – hey – hey - stop it. Pheebs?" The older woman wrapped her younger sister in an even tighter hug for what seemed like an age. Finally, Phoebe felt the grip loosen. Piper's hand moved up to grasp her wet cheeks, using her thumbs to brush away the damp streaks. She looked into Phoebe's eyes; the younger witch saw a mixture of relief, curiosity and worry swimming in them. She was dreading all those questions, all those concerns. The younger witch could not bear the concern. She looked at the floor.

Immediately, Piper titled her chin upwards, "It's okay Phoebe. There'll be time to talk later. You're home…" Piper didn't need words to express how happy she was as she beamed at Phoebe.

There was another problem though. Prue. The prospect of seeing her oldest sister again terrified her. Despite the fact that Phoebe had left on bad terms with Prue, there was a small part of her that had missed her. Even if Prue agreed to talk to her, there was a long way to go for them both to heal. Piper seemed to sense this hesitation in her little sister and her forehead wrinkled slightly. Just as Phoebe was about to voice the fact that she thought she shouldn't stay, Piper cut her off, "You're home Phoebe. This is where you are staying," Piper said as she took Phoebe's bag from her shoulder, "I will worry about Prue,"

Taking Phoebe's bag with her, Piper began to walk back up the steps. Nervously, Phoebe watched her sister and considered, for a second, leaving, the nervous storm inside her, the prospect of seeing Prue almost too much. But Piper turned around, with pleading eyes and offered a hand to Phoebe. "Sweetie," she began and Phoebe was compelled to step forward and take her hand, holding it tightly with both of her own. "It'll be okay. I promise you. It'll be okay. Everything will be okay." As she was wrapped, once again in the arms of her older sister, somehow Phoebe knew it would be.

AS THE MEMORY of their younger selves faded, Phoebe found a new energy. "Piper. We will do her favourite spots first. With an exhausted expression in her eyes, Piper nodded slowly in agreement. She shrugged her coat over her shoulders, slowly, broken almost defeated. It hurt Phoebe to see this in her strong, fiery older sister.

"Piper," Phoebe called after her sister, catching her up in the hallway. She stood squarely in front of the older witch. She pulled Piper's hands into her own and whispered, echoing Piper's once wise words, "It'll be okay. I promise you. It'll be okay. Everything will be okay."

An almost-smile played at the edges of Piper's lips. Phoebe's echo of her words was not lost on her. How wise her baby sister had gotten. She allowed herself some hope again. Just a little bit of it sparked away the dullness in her eyes. "You're getting very wise in your old age Pheebs. Let's go and find our sister."

"Shall we do her favourite spots first?"

"Sounds like a plan."

PAIGE KNEW IT WOULD be better this way. The chill in the air grew colder; she pulled her arms around herself protectively. If she stayed, she would forever carry the hurt and grief of the day's events. If she stayed, she would always feel this sense of separation from her sisters. A wall of hurt throbbed from head to toe, she almost felt the strength of her pain physically. It throbbed every time she tried to think, fogged her mind and clouded all her senses. Spinning constantly, her feelings moved from the loss and rejection (the ones that started the whole mess), boiling anger at the reactions of her older sisters and left behind a stubborn streak of unwavering self-protection. The only safety from the whirling hurt was the memories of Prue. As she remembered her oldest sister, the pain stilled; however, this lasted only seconds before it was shattered by the painful reality.

She was giving in.

Her mind travelled back to the moment that she persuaded Prue not to give up her magic and felt a surge of guilt. Her eyes flickered over the spot where Prue had sat and it hurt Paige to remember the loving gaze of her lost sister. Feeling the weathered kinks in the wood, as her fingers traced over the bench where Prue had sat opposite her, she began to speak, "I'm sorry Prue. I can't do this. Not with you gone. Not with them missing you and hating me. I've been a disappointment to every family I've ever known. That's why they left me I guess…"

She swallowed the sob that threatened to break through her hushed whispers. Louder, she spoke into the empty air with a new resolve, "This time they won't leave me. I was always better off on my own."

FRUSTRATION LEFT its mark on Piper's face. Hurtling through the streets of San Francisco at the fastest speed they could get away with, had given them no luck. Each time they had raced to a favourite spot of Paige's, they had expected to find their baby sister: her mass of dark-chocolate hair, creamy-pale features, sparkling eyes and cherry lips were distinctive in any place. Every time they found an empty place or a crowd of people, it chipped away at their hopes.

"Why can't we find her? Why can't she hear us call? Why can't we sense her?" Yet again they were asking the same questions. Phoebe needed to ask them out loud, to convey her desperation in words, voice cracking with emotion. Helplessly, Piper stood there in silence. Emptiness and heartbreak coursed through her, she had got them to this place. Watching Phoebe's desperation grow, guilt beginning to eat her inside, she wanted only one person.

"Leo?" It escaped her lips as a child-like whimper.

As instantly as they appeared, the blue hazes left the whitelighter behind. Without the two witches even asking a question, he began to answer.

"Piper, there's nothing we can do. Some of the powers she has from her whitelighter side can cloak her powers and her location from other magical beings." Seeing Piper's head creased he hostility added, "It's meant to be a protection thing," He stopped as he saw his wife's features harden further.

"What kind of crazy-ass protection keeps someone away from their family?" Piper couldn't keep the scoff from her voice.

Leo moved his gaze away from the intense, questioning glares of the Halliwell women. "Leo!" Piper spoke sharply, "What is it? Don't go quiet on me. I know that quiet…" The sharpness faded quickly from her voice as it wavered with a sudden fear.

"It's complicated…"

"Leo?" This time it was Phoebe who spoke sharply. Quickly, she uttered, "Sorry I.."

"No. It's okay Phoebe." His face softened to allow a weak but forgiving smile to twitch across his face. "Paige probably isn't even aware of this part of her Whitelighter powers. But it means that she is experiencing powerful emotions."

A guilty expression flashed on Piper's face, "Oh Goddess, so my rage…"

Leo cut across her words, "No, Piper. That upset her I'm sure, but only deep emotions can have the power to cloak. Only powerful uncontrollable emotion can do this: grief, loss or anger or a combination of these. Whitelighter's are not usually emotional beings; they can't use their powers as well under stressful emotions. The cloak protects both the Whitelighter and others from unpredictable powers. It's likely that the cloak prevents her from hearing you call."

Whilst listening to this, Piper's cheeks had almost purpled with frustration, "What in the hell kind of a wise idea was that? Who makes up these screwed up rules? What do we do now? Now we're screwed!" As Piper raged, Phoebe's glazed eyes brimmed with tears. Gazing faraway, she was deep in thought. So quiet and distressed was her expression, Piper saw it and it shocked her own anger away.

"Pheebs?"

"She's grieving? She feels lost? She feels angry? Piper, we did this. We made our baby sister feel this way. I feel sick, Piper. This is our fault. We didn't notice that she was grieving. We didn't ask why…" She struggled for words as she began to get more upset.

Piper noticed that Leo had shrunk away from them. Knowing her husband as well as she did, this meant that he knew something, "Please Leo. Is there a way we can find her? I don't care if it's against the rules or not…"

"There is something that might work. Whitelighter's can track each others energy as well as sense each other. The power cloaking stops the sensing ability but energy is still left behind. The only thing is that Paige's is only half as strong as a normal whitelighter. It might not work."

"It has to work. We have got to find her. She has to see that we want to find her." Piper spoke urgently, knowing this would be the only way to fix this.

"We need to start at the last place we saw her." Leo instructed softly, "Let's orb home."

PAIGE drank in one last look at the peaceful green haven behind her. She allowed herself one last flash of painful memory and saw Prue smiling back at her from the bench. For a second, she let it linger before steeling her resolve once more. Her walls of self-protection cemented. It felt so final. Emotionally steady enough now to use magic, she allowed orbing power to dissolve her body.

She needed the Manor first.

IT SEEMED THAT PAIGE, for some reason, had gone to only one place. It had taken a while to track her energy as she had moved on foot. Three new figures appeared in the green open space beside the bench. The air was damp now, the humidity breaking as raindrops started to fall. Piper and Phoebe had come to the same bench. It seemed familiar to them somehow but this feeling was ignored.

It was empty.

This time, they were too late.


	9. Ties severed, Paige torn

Chapter 9: Ties severed; Paige torn.

I do not own Charmed or Charmed characters

A/N: The story has one more chapter after this. This one ended up being longer than anticipated!

A PAIR OF DARK, BLANK eyes stared back at her from the mirror. The edges of them were rimmed with a mess of red soreness and sooty make up smudge. Usually, her skin was pale but it seemed to have taken on a stone-coloured hue. Even her lips were shadowed with a greyish tinge. Weathered and wild, she scraped her hands through her hair in an attempt to tame it. She quickly gave up. It was too painful to focus on her own reflection. All she could see were her three sisters: she could not escape her sisterly similarities and even more painfully, she was now aware of the pale-faced, dark-haired, pretty-cheekbone similarities that she shared with Prue.

Knowing that she wouldn't be alone in the Manor for very long, she had to hurry up before they came back, before they stopped her. She knew that time was ticking as she raced upstairs.

She stopped at the attic first. Tearing a page from one of their many notebooks, Paige quickly scribbled on it, folded it carefully and safely tucked it into the pocket of her jeans for later. Tentatively, she approached the Book of Shadows for the last time. Opening it gently, almost reverently, she ran her thumb over a few of the pages soaking in the memory of the ancient book. Aside from its powerful magic, it really was a beautiful thing. She drew in a sharp breath as she came across one of the spells. The name of the demon was written in Grams' artistic handwriting followed by an intricate drawing.

It was Shax.

Although she'd seen this page many times, curious as to how Prue was lost (she usually read it in secret to avoid upsetting Piper and Phoebe), it now had new meaning. Instead of just hearing about her through memory or gazing at her in photographs, her sister was real to her. She'd always missed her oldest sister; now the pain was even greater.

The face of the demon that had killed Prue made her shiver.

The flash of grief bought her back to her senses and she closed the book with a violent thud. Soon she'd be able to forget…

THE PEACEFUL SURROUNDINGS did nothing to still all of their thoughts. They seemed to be back in the same place as earlier. Helpless. Piper couldn't help but pace frantically, unable to keep still. Occasionally, she would sigh heavily in an attempt to keep her bubbling emotions in check. In contrast, Phoebe sat on the bench, hugging her knees closely to her chest. Her gaze was fixed far into the distance and yet she wasn't really looking, just thinking, feeling and wondering where her baby sister could be.

Leo stood, eyes closed. All his strength was focused on sensing Paige's energy. Her energy was half that of a normal whitelighter. Because of this, it was slightly more difficult and took longer to sense. Leo feared it might be too long.

SHE WANTED TO TAKE WITH HER as little as possible. Paige wanted no painful reminders of this time in her life. An ancient (last used in high school), but large duffle bag was dug out from the back of her closet. Quickly, Paige ransacked drawers, cupboards, shelves and old boxes for the essentials that she needed. She packed everything she needed to start over and with plenty of experience of starting over; she managed it with record speed.

With a hardened resolve, the youngest Halliwell decided there was no room and no time for sentimentality. Childhood trinkets, treasured possessions and photographs were abandoned without a second glance. One object, though, stopped Paige in her tracks. Once she felt the softness of the fabric, she hadn't the heart to toss it aside to join the rest of the chaos on the floor. Even though it was frayed at the edges and faded in colour, as the only object she had that was given by her birth parents, it was her only tangible link to them. She found the corner with embroidered letter P, tracing it with her finger.

She had to be ruthless. As a link to her past, to her sisters, it had to be left behind. But not before she folded it gently and laid it on the bed.

It was time to go.

It was time to leave this life behind.

It was time to end this pain.

The aged floorboards on the landing creaked as she headed towards the stairs. Piper's bedroom door was left ajar, the room neurotically tidy except for a pair of Leo's boots on the floor. _The poor guy will feel the heat for that later _she thought. This was a room which she had entered countless times and yet, never had that object drew her attention so closely.

It was Prue's dressing table.

The antique piece of furniture was kept by Piper and Phoebe after their sister died. Mainly, it stored Prue's belongings from which they could not bear to be parted. The dresser itself (Paige had heard the story many times) had been rescued from a rubbish tip and lovingly restored by Prue and some of her expert colleagues from Buckland's. It was a one-off piece: dark wood with burnished silver handles, sturdy drawers that stood on top of delicately bowed legs and sat on top of this was a large, elegantly framed mirror. A truly glamorous object, it looked out of place among Piper's traditional furniture.

Even though she had seen the dresser a thousand times, now that she had actually met her oldest sister, Paige was drawn to it. Curiously, she crept through into the bedroom as if pulled towards the object. A heavy chair was pushed up to the dresser. On the back of it, hung a jacket made of soft black leather. Prue's jacket. A jolt of loss surged through the younger woman; it settled in her stomach, causing it to somersault heavily as she touched the fabric.

Paige sat at the dresser. Placed neatly on the top, were a number of photograph frames: some were family shots of the Halliwells (minus herself of course); others contained artistic landscapes, panoramic cityscapes and beach scenes. Looking more closely, Paige could see that some of these pictures bore the signature of her talented older sister. Hiding behind one of these frames was a pretty glass bottle, inside it swirled a small amount of a pink scented liquid. Bringing the bottle to her face, Paige tried desperately to get a trace of the scent. As the scent drifted up to her senses, one of her recent memories flashed back to her. Cradled by the older witch, soaking up the comfort that she provided, she had been enveloped in this sweet-floral scent. Paige's eyes pooled wetness at their corners.

The overpowering fascination combined with the desperation of wanting to know the older woman compelled her to open every drawer. It was a treasure trove for Paige: stacks of letters and more photographs, childhood trinkets and toys, what must have been Prue's favourite CDs, a high school yearbook and it didn't end there. The discoveries were endless. Each item could tell its own story of the older woman. It hurt Paige, made her ache in fact to realize that she would not be able to find out. It hurt even more to think that Piper and Phoebe had never thought to show her, to help her know and love their lost sister.

Carefully, she replaced every item. Moving to the bottom row of drawers, she slid them open one by one until the last one…

It was stuck!

Vaguely, she recalled an overheard conversation between Piper and Leo about this broken drawer. It seemed even more unusual to her that Leo would have left it unfixed.

It couldn't be this. It couldn't be this that Prue meant. Now she thought she understood.

"If you didn't mean this," Paige whispered to herself, "Then this is an advanced apology!"

Before she started, she gave the handle one last hopeful tug. No luck. She even called for the drawer, hoping her powers would separate it from the dresser. Screwing up her face in a wince, she drew her foot back. At full force, her foot came into contact with the edge of the drawer. "Three kicks. One. Two. Three." Paige still whispered under her breath, "One tug."

Like it was set on a spring, the dresser drawer flew open with such an unexpected force that it made Paige's heart pound heavily in her chest. Eagerly, she grasped for the contents. She found only one thing: a yellowed envelope. The sides, corners and flap were creased, showing that it had been opened many times. Almost as much as she wanted to see what was inside, something made her almost fearful. With care, she pulled out the contents.

A photograph? Paige had seen many like this before. They were all over the Manor. A young Prue, all dark hair and piercing eyes, striking even as a young child smiled for the camera; next to her, a wide-eyed Piper sat with a shy smile on her face. Phoebe, with a cheeky grin on her face, framed by her pigtailed hair was gazing towards Prue at something that wasn't there. Paige swallowed hard at yet another reminder of her absence from this family.

A wave of disappointment crashed through her excitement. She turned the photograph over. Patty's looped handwriting spelled a message. "Mom?" Paige whispered as she traced the looping letters with her finger. Underneath that, somebody else had added to it…Prue? Paige read both out loud, keeping her voice just above a whisper.

_All my girls, love Mom xxx _

This was followed by _All of my sisters…_

With a blinding flash, some orb-type lights completely covered the photograph in a bright haze. Paige squeaked with surprise, feeling it heat up in her hand. It didn't last long and when she looked back at the other side of the photograph, her legs wobbled with shock.

"Patty. As I said before, I hardly think we have time for this," Penny Halliwell chastised her daughter. It wasn't that she wished to criticize her but she was in fear of what could happen if they didn't hurry. There was also the risk that her daughter, being in such a fragile emotional state, could change her mind.

Pale and exhausted, the younger woman shot a pleading look towards her mother. This should have been a joyous day but instead it would be one of pain, sadness and regret. It was a day no mother should have to go through. She covered her clammy face with shaking hands and swept them both through her dark-brown waves. She let out a breath which was at first shuddery, but steadied as she tried to force a calm feeling.

"Please let me do this. Before we…" Her voice faded to despair and she couldn't even finish what she wanted to say.

The stern expression of the older woman softened and she nodded her permission. Her daughter smiled back, "Have you got the girls ready?"

"I'm not sure we should have the girls there. They will know too much."

"It's their only chance to be together. I'm sure you'll only be to happy to whip up something to mess with their memories. Are they ready?" As usual for a Halliwell, Patty was not short of some feisty stubbornness when it was required.

"Yes," Penny sighed, "But quickly now. Prudence is asking too many questions and Phoebe is… being Phoebe!"

Patty gave a half smile at the thought of her daughters, "And our Piper?"

"Good as gold of course!"

"I'll go and get her then. Remember what to tell them?"

"It won't matter what we tell them after the dust."

"Remember?"

"Yes darling. I remember."

The two witches parted. The older woman went to join her three grandchildren in the sunroom. Sitting, as they had been told, on the large wicker chair, they waited.

"Gwams!" Three-year-old Phoebe leapt excitedly from the chair landing awkwardly on all fours. Hauling herself up, her pigtails bounded with every step she took. Impatiently, her Grams scooped her up placing her between her two older granddaughters. Phoebe fidgeted and swung her legs. Prue, sensing her grandmother's anxiety and irritation, placed an arm around her little sister. The unspoken gesture stilled Phoebe.

Eight-year-old Prue, eyed her grandmother with a puzzled look, "Where's Mom? You said she'd be back soon…"

"Prudence…" The reply was stern in its warning tone and was enough to answer the raven-haired girl's question. Penny continued softly this time, "She's here my darlings. She has asked for you to sit here to wait. She's brought a friend with her for you to meet."

As soon as Penny had finished speaking, Patty appeared in the doorway. Piper's squeak of delight was shushed by a glance from her mother. Pale-faced, Patty crept softly towards the girls clutching a mass of blankets. The edge of the out blanket dangled, showing a delicately embroidered letter 'P'. Suddenly, a pink fist grasped at the air. A gurgle escaped. Patty's face was tinged with grief that she quickly suppressed and managed to hide from her three daughters; it was not hidden from her eyes.

"Girls, I want you to meet somebody."

She lowered the blankets to reveal the tiny face. Huge, deep brown eyes, still with their newborn-grey tint fluttered open. The baby squirmed and cooed, whilst tiny fingers clenched and relaxed. A rosy-pink thumb drifted towards pouting lips.

"Baby?" Phoebe questioned with a quizzical smile on her face. When Patty had lowered the blankets far enough, Piper stroked the baby head softly, running a finger down a chubby cheek and holding a tiny hand. Patty moved to her oldest daughter, "Will you hold her Prue?"

The strangeness of this situation was not lost on the young girl. Her blue eyes searched for the answers to all of the questions buzzing through her. Her mother's face, normally full of warmth, was inscrutable; she couldn't take her eyes of the mass of blankets. When Patty finally looked at her, Prue obediently held out her arms.

The young Prue looked at the tiny baby in her arms with wonder. Unable to suppress her curiosity she looked up at her mother as her lips began to formulate a question.

"Mommy…wh..?" She hesitated. As Patty looked back at her eldest daughter, her deadened, empty gaze shocked the words from her lips.

"Girls, girls…" Penny interrupted impatiently. "For goodness sake Phoebe, sit still! Right, girls, we need to take a picture of you…"

"With baby?"

"Yes Phoebe, with the baby. Now, hold still…quickly!" Their grandmother clicked the button a couple of times, winding on the film in a great rush.

"All done girls. Stay here please." In a great rush, Patty took the small child back into her arms and was ushered out of the room. Confused, Prue remained still. "Prue? Prudence? Take your sisters through to the lounge. Wait there for me please." The young girl did as she was instructed. Piper followed happily and Phoebe toddled behind, chirping happily about seeing the baby. It didn't occur to the younger two that this was strange and they were too excited to see that their Mom was upset. However, Prue could not forget the emptiness of her gaze. Cold and blank, it frightened her.

Later, all three of them would remember nothing.

Sinking back into a sitting position on the bed, grasping the photograph in both hands, Paige blinked in disbelief. She couldn't tell whether it was fresh pain or joy that she felt, just that it rolled freely in wet trails over her cheeks. The photographs showed her in the arms of her oldest sister. Paige could see her tiny infant fist wrapped around Prue's little finger, could see that Piper beamed with happiness and Phoebe gazed in the happily fascinated way that a toddler sees a newborn.

Surging with a vengeance, anger and bile rose in her throat. It was too late for this. She never got to be in this happy family as a little girl; she certainly didn't exist in it now, she couldn't imagine how this could be fixed, or even if she wanted it to be fixed. She had to let go. With one last look at the image, she tossed it aside and heaved her bag onto her shoulders. The force of this made the envelope flutter to the floor and unseen by Paige, an extra scrap of paper flew out.

This was it.

Paige stood on the steps of the Manor. She reached around into her back pockets to retrieve a piece of paper. Unfolding it slowly, her eyes never wavered, her stubborn, Halliwell resolve was set.

The spell was uttered. Ties severed.

Forever.

Or so Paige thought…


End file.
